Easter Treats
A couple of wholesome and planet-friendly Easter treats
Pink and Yellow Mini Bliss Eggs
Easter is historically a time for chocolate, candy and generally sugar laden foods. Not to mention the number of plastic wrappers and unnecessary litter their packaging creates.
These delicious Mini Bliss Eggs and Hot-Cross Carrot Cookies are good alternatives, if you want to balance some of the shop-bought sweets with healthier and more sustainable options.
The Coconut Sprinkles are also naturally-coloured, by using real ingredients beetroot and turmeric, thus avoiding artificial food dyes.
Both recipes are very easy and fun to make with children (or by children, depending on their age), and work well as take-home, shareable Easter treats, if made at an early learning or school setting.
Mini Bliss Eggs
Coloured Coconut Sprinkles
Naturally-Coloured Coconut Sprinkles
Makes 1 cup of each pink and yellow coconut sprinkles*
Ingredients:
2 cups desiccated coconut
1 raw beetroot, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 Tbsp turmeric
Method:
Divide the coconut into two containers with tight-fitting lids.
Add the turmeric to one of the containers and the beetroot chunks to the other. Cover the containers and give each a good shake, to colour the coconut sprinkles with the natural dyes from the turmeric and beetroot.
* This recipe makes enough coconut sprinkles for 3 to 4 recipes of Mini Bliss Easter Eggs.
Mini Bliss Eggs Nests
Mini Bliss Easter Eggs
Makes 24
Ingredients:
1½ cups dried apricots
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup milk powder
½ cup wheat bran
1 – 3 tbsp boiling water
Coloured coconut sprinkles, for rolling (recipe below)
Method:
Add the apricots to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add the coconut, milk powder, wheat bran and one tablespoon of the boiling water. Turn on the machine and mix it until mixture is moist and comes together. Add more boiling water, one tablespoon at the time, if needed.
Roll the mixture into mini eggs and roll each on the coloured coconut sprinkles.
Hot-Cross Carrot Cookies
Makes 24
Ingredients:
1 cup instant oats
¾ cup wholemeal flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled (or olive oil)
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
¼ cup brown sugar
5 Tbsp milk
¾ cup (tightly packed) grated carrot
Hot-Cross Carrot Cookies
For the crosses: (optional)
1/4 cup Plain flour
1/4 cup Water
1 tsp plain oil
For the glaze:
3 Tbsp apricot jam, sieved
You’ll need: baking trays, baking paper and a pastry brush (for glazing)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and mix well to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter (or olive oil), egg white, vanilla extract, brown sugar and milk.
Add the wet mix in the dry mix and stir until everything is well combined. Fold in the grated carrot.
Place the mixture to cool in the fridge for 20 – 30 minutes.
While the mixture is cooling, make the dough for the crosses:
Mix flour and water until it forms a dough that doesn’t stick and it’s easy to roll. Reserve.
Baking the cookies:
Roll teaspoons of the dough mix into little balls and space them at least 2 cm apart on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Lightly press each cookie with a fork.
If decorating cookies with crosses, roll tiny amounts of dough into a sausage shape, cut two little strips and lightly press on top of cookies to form a cross.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
One cookies are ready, let them cool on the tray for a few minutes.
Glaze cookies with the sieved apricot jam while they are still warm, before transferring to a cooling rack.
We hope you have fun making these recipes!
If you happen to try them at your home, school or early learning setting this Easter, let us know in the comments below.
We'd love to hear from you and showcase your creations in our Facebook page too, if you’d like to share some photos!
Happy Easter everyone!