Easter treats

EASTER CHICK CUP CAKES

Prep 30-60 mins

Cooks in 10-30 mins

Serves 12 cupcakes

Suitable for vegetarians

Contains nuts and eggs, no gluten, no dairy

Ingredients

60ml mango puree (use 1 ripe mango to make this)
125g unsalted butter or coconut oil
60ml maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
150g self-raising flour (or a gluten free alternative)

Decorations and frosting

1 400g tin coconut milk
6 tbsp mango puree
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Raisins (for eyes)
Dried apricots (for beak)
Flaked almonds for wings
Desiccated coconut for feathers

These tasty cupcakes are best eaten on the day you make them. Otherwise, keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze and defrost in just an hour, then add frosting and decorations.

• First make your mango puree by taking the flesh from the mango and blending to a smooth puree with a hand blender or food processor. Make sure to reserve some for the frosting. Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas mark 4. Place 12 paper cupcake cases into a cupcake tin.

• Beat the butter or coconut oil until soft with the maple syrup. Add the mango puree and vanilla extract with 1 tbsp of the flour and beat in (you can use an electric cake mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or do it my hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon).

• Add the eggs one at a time, with 1 tbsp of the flour and beat in thoroughly (the flour stops the mixture from splitting, which happens if it’s too wet). Sift the rest of the flour in gradually and fold lightly into the mixture using a metal spoon. Keep as much air as possible in the mixture, so be careful not to over mix it.

• Once all the flour is just combined, spoon a large tbsp of mixture into each paper case, the mixture should fill the case about ¾ full. Fill all the cases then place straight into the oven. The quicker you work the more air stays in the cupcakes, and the lighter they will be. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Insert a knife to check they are cooked – it should come out clean. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes to cool a little, then move onto a wire rack to cool completely.

• The secret to this simple frosting is keeping everything as cold as possible, so the coconut cream stays fairly thick. The cupcakes should be completely cool. The coconut cream and mango puree should be used straight from the fridge and ideally place your mixing bowl in the fridge to cool for half an hour before using too .Beat the coconut cream and mango puree together with the tsp of vanilla until smooth (use an electric whisk if you have one).

• Spread the cooled cupcakes with mango frosting, then add two raisins for the chicks eyes. Cut the dried apricots into small triangles, then add one to the cupcake to give the chick a beak. Add two flaked almonds for wings (leave these off for younger babies). Finally, add a sprinkle of desiccated coconut for fluffy feathers.

EASY EASTER BISCUITS FOR TODDLERS

The perfect Easter biscuit! why not make a hole in the top of your biscuits before baking, and then hang them with ribbon around the house for decorations?
Though these Easter Bunny biscuit shapes are family favourites, they can be cut into any other shape you like for a different celebration!

Prep 10-30 mins

Cooks in 10-30 mins

Serves 30 biscuits

Suitable for vegetarians, vegans

Contains gluten, wheat, no dairy

For the biscuits

½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger (or more to taste)
200g plain flour
75g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (or virgin coconut oil)
60ml maple syrup

To decorate

Coconut oil, maple syrup or honey for sticking
Dried fruit such as raisins, goji berries, etc.
Seeds such as poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc.
Flaked almonds and flaked or desiccated coconut
Easter cookie cutters

• Preheat your oven to 180°C fan / 160°C fan/ gas mark 4. Grease and line two baking trays.
• Stir the baking powder and ginger into the flour, then rub the butter and maple syrup into the flour with your fingertips, or pulse on and off in a food processer to combine into a crumbly texture, that will easily press together into a dough. Add a splash of water if needed to bring it together, but not too much.
• Pop the dough in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes. Once ready flour a clean work surface and gently knead the dough, just to bring it together. Roll out to a 3mm thickness and cut out shapes using an Easter cookie cutter.
• Place onto the baking trays and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes until golden. Carefully transfer the cooked biscuits onto a wire cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before decorating.
• To decorate use a selection of dried or fresh fruit, seeds and coconut, or leave plain if you prefer. Decorations can be stuck to the biscuits using a small amount of coconut oil, maple syrup or honey. Get little ones involved and get creative!

GLUTEN FREE HOT CROSS MUFFINS

Prep 10-30 mins

Cooks in 10-30 mins

Serves 10

Suitable for vegetarian

Contains milk, eggs, no gluten

Serve still slightly warm from the oven, cut open and spread with a little unsalted butter. Little ones can easily get involved with this recipe, weighing the ingredients, mixing, and spooning the mixture out.

Dry ingredients

500g gluten free flour blend
2 tsp gluten free baking powder (add only if it’s not included in flour blend)
½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
100g raisins
Zest of 1 orange

Wet ingredients

150g unsalted butter
3 eggs
300ml whole milk
2 tbsp honey

Paste for the cross

30g gluten free flour blend
2 tbsp water

• Pre-heat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas mark 6. Sieve the flour then combine with all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Gently melt the butter then combine with all the wet ingredients in a large jug. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry and stir gently to just combine - don't over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into a large well-greased muffin tin or muffin cases.
• Mix the remaining flour and water to a smooth paste, then spoon into a plastic food bag or piping bag. Snip a very small hole in the corner and pipe a cross onto each bun (make sure the hole is very small so your crosses aren’t too thick).
• Bake for around 20-25 mins until golden and cooked through. Allow to cool before serving.

AVOCADO AND CHOCOLATE ORANGE EASTER EGGS

Prep 10-30 mins

Cooking none

Serves 4

Suitable for vegetarians, vegans

Contains no allergens, no gluten, no dairy

You can keep the eggs in the fridge until ready to decorate and serve. Approx. half an egg is a good-sized serving for a little one.

Mousse

2 ripe avocados
Juice and zest of 4 oranges
6 tbsp cocoa powder
1 very ripe banana puréed (or 2 tbsp maple syrup if you prefer)
1 tbsp organic raw coconut oil for extra creaminess (optional)

Decorations (optional)

Orange zest
Seeds – sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds
Dried fruit – raisins, cranberries, goji berries
Fresh seasonal fruit – mango, grapes, oranges, banana, apple, pear
Desiccated and flaked coconut
Nuts – flaked almonds, pecans

• Cut both avocados in half from top to bottom. Carefully remove the stone by gently hitting the knife into the stone, giving it a little twist – and the stone should easily come out. Scoop the soft green avocado flesh into a bowl or blender but be careful to keep the shell of the avocado intact, as this will become the natural, egg-shaped bowl for the mousse.

• Zest all the oranges and put 4 tsp of zest to one side for decoration. Then add the rest of the zest and the remaining ingredients to the blender/bowl and blend or beat with a wooden spoon until completely smooth.
• Test the taste of the mousse and add a little maple syrup if you feel the need, then scoop back into the avocado shells to create your chocolate orange eggs.
• Serve the chocolate orange eggs with a range of tasty decorations at the table, for the family to decorate their own eggs however they please. Make sure your decorations are appropriate for the age of your child – so halve/slice grapes and chop any nuts etc.

FRIENDLY RABBIT FUN PLATE

Prep under 10 minutes

Cooking none

Serves 2

Suitable for vegetarian and vegan

Contains no allergens, no gluten, no dairy

Be safe! Blueberries should be cut in half until your child is able to chew foods safely.

Ingredients

2 Organix raspberry and blueberry rice cakes
1 small banana
¼ apple
1 strawberry
5 blueberries

• Peel banana and cut in half. Mash one half into a puree, and cut two round discs off the other half. Then cut the remaining piece in half lengthwise from top to bottom.
• Cut the apple into 6 very thin slices.
• Cut the tip off the bottom of the strawberry, and cut in half to create two little triangle pieces.
• Cut the tip off the bottom of the strawberry, and cut in half to create two little triangle pieces.