Easter is almost here, which means you don't need to sacrifice your sweet tooth for lent any longer. Try these mouth-watering recipes from food specialist Nicholette von Reiche...

Cranberry and orange hot cross buns

Hot cross buns smothered with butter are a favourite at Easter time. Try this cranberry and orange variation at home.

Preparation time: One hour.
Baking time: 20-25 minutes
Makes: 16 buns

Ingredients:

For the dough:

Paste for crosses:

Glaze:

Method:

Heat the milk and butter and leave to cool slightly. Sift the flour, salt and spices. Add the sugar and yeast and combine in. Stir the milk into the flour mixture, add the beaten egg and combine.

Add the cranberries and orange zest and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp dishcloth and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a large baking tin. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and knead each piece on a lightly floured surface.

Shape the pieces into a round shape and place on greased baking tin. Set aside to rise until double in size, about 15-20 minutes.

Make the flour paste by mixing together the flour, sugar and water to form a smooth paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag, fitted with a small tube and pipe crosses onto each bun.

Bake hot-cross buns for 20-25 minutes. Brush the tops of the buns with the warm apricot jam, while the buns are still hot. Serve warm with butter.

Notes:

For a decadent variety, add 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence to the milk mixture, substitute the cranberries and orange zest with 125ml chocolate chips, omit the mixed spices and reduce the cinnamon to 1 tsp (5ml).

Use melted chocolate to pipe your crosses on your buns after baking. Always use fresh yeast and leave your dough to rise in an area that is warm but not too hot.

For a delicious spiced butter to serve with your hot cross buns, combine 125ml softened butter with 4 tsp (20ml) honey, (2.5ml) cinnamon and 1ml mixed spice. Spoon into ramekins and chill. Serve with hot cross buns.

Easy Easter cupcakes

These light and easy cupcakes are simple to make and loads of fun for kids to decorate. Involve kids as much as possible with the basic techniques of baking, such as sifting, mixing, icing. It is important for them to learn and also a fun way to spend time together.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Baking time: 10-12 minutes
Makes: 20 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake batter:

Decoration:

Method:

Place 20 cupcake cookie cases into muffin tins and preheat the oven to 200°C.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and combine well.

Sift in the flour and fold in alternately with the milk until well combined. Spoon the mixture into paper cases until three quarters full and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing by sifting the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir to form a paste that thickly coats the back of a spoon.

Decorate cupcakes by spooning icing over and topping with mini eggs.

Notes:

Make different kinds of icings by dividing the prepared icing in two. Dip a skewer into food coloring of choice and stir into icing to colour.

Decorate cupcakes with jelly-tots, smarties or other preferred candy.

For more cupcakes solutions email Nicholette at nvr@nicholette.biz or visit www.nicholette.biz.