Well, the weather has unfortunately taken a turn for the worse just prior to the bank holiday weekend, but we can still enjoy getting together with friends and family and relaxing over the four day break.
Hot Cross Buns
Of course, it’s a very important time in the Christian calendar, and while we have access to hot cross buns all year round now, I hope you’ll have had one or two on Good Friday – and still have plenty more for the rest of the weekend (see recipe below). I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the buns, but I do rather like serving them with either a slice of cheddar melting between the two halves, or even a slice of crispy bacon…try it, it works!
Lamb for Easter Lunch
Pascal lamb is the traditional Easter dish for many of us, and there are some good offers in the supermarkets. But it might be worth treating yourself to some of the new season English lamb, so do check your local butcher to see what they have in stock.
Bank Holiday Wines
With a view to the summer ahead, here are a few wines I’d suggest for the Easter weekend.
A delightful taste of Provence from Ocado is the Sainte Roseline Prestige Provence Rose. It’s bright and pale in colour, with an intense bouquet of red fruits and hints of citrus.
It’s lively and expressive on the palate and has a long finish.
It will pair perfectly with fish on Good Friday but will complement so many more dishes too. £19
And to go with the lamb on Easter Sunday the Des Tourelles Bordeaux Superieur is great value at £7.50 from Tesco. It’s an intense and complex red with notes of plums, blackcurrant and woody spice. It will also pair well with cheese.
For Easter Monday (hoping the weather will be okay) a taste of Spring with Tasmanian Devil’s Corner Chardonnay at £15 (also from Tesco). It’s youthful, dry and has notes of melon and nectarine and a palate of citrus and perfect acidity.
On the assumption that you might have some hot cross buns left over, here’s an easy and delicious recipe from Bennett Opie for a rather special bread and butter pudding
Caramel & Ginger Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding
Prep time 20 minutes Cooking time 35 minutes Allergens: gluten, dairy, eggs Serves 6
6 hot cross buns, sliced into 4
3 large eggs
300ml whipping cream
300ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g golden caster sugar
3 balls of Opies Stem Ginger, finely chopped, syrup reserved
3 tbsp Carnation caramel sauce
- Take a large oven dish that will fit 6 hot cross buns comfortably and arrange the sliced hot cross buns in the dish.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, whipping cream, milk, vanilla extract, caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of the reserved stem ginger syrup.
- Pour the batter evenly over the hot cross buns. Scatter over the finely chopped stem ginger, cover and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the hot cross buns to absorb the mixture. You could also leave it overnight. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 3.
- Drizzle over half of the carnation caramel sauce and cook in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until the custard is set but still retaining a slight wobble.
- Leave to cool slightly before serving with fresh custard and a little drizzle of caramel sauce.
And here’s is a rather nice, and certainly unusual, savoury snack idea that you might like:
Easter Squeezy Cornflake Nests
(a savoury spin on the beloved Chocolate Cornflake Cakes)
This creative twist swaps chocolate for creamy Primula Cheese and Chive, giving the crunchy cornflake base a rich, cheesy flavour. Instead of mini eggs, these nests are topped with crispy streaky bacon rashers, a drizzle of maple syrup, and fresh chives for a perfect balance of savoury and sweet. Light, crispy, and utterly moreish, these nests are great for an Easter breakfast bite or brunch.
Primula Cheese and Chives 
cornflakes
Streaky Bacon Rashers (cooked and cut up)
Maple syrup
1 egg white
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives
Method (makes 4 nests):
- To a bowl add one egg white and whisk till fluffy and airy.
- To the same bowl add a good squeeze of Cheese and Chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk till smooth and airy.
- Add in 2 cups of cornflakes and fold carefully making sure each piece is coated without crushing them.
- Carefully place the coated cornflakes in a muffin tin leaving as much airy space as possible. Note: do not pack and press down the cornflakes when placing into mould as this will make the nests dense and will lose its crunch.
- Cook in the air fryer for 4 minutes on 200 degrees (or oven) until golden and crispy.
- When chilled, take the nests out the muffin tray, top with a good squeeze of Cheese and Chives, pieces of crispy streaky bacon rashers and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Happy Easter!
