EASTER ACTIVITY PACK - Queensmere Observatory - Shopping Centre

E A S T E R
                                   ACTIVITY PACK
                                We may be spending more time at home this Easter, but it’s far from
                              cancelled! Flick through the pages of our activity pack for colouring and
                                      recipes that you can enjoy from the safety of your home!
queensmereobservatory.co.uk

CHOCOLATE RICE
KRISPIE CAKES
Ingredients
• 100g milk chocolate, broken up
• 50g dark chocolate, broken up
• 100g butter
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 100g rice krispies
• To decorate
• 50g milk chocolate, melted
• Sprinkles, mini marshmallows, nuts, smarties,
    dried fruit or white chocolate buttons

Method

STEP 1
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the butter and golden syrup and gently melt in 10-second bursts in
the microwave, or melt it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until
smooth, then take off the heat and stir in the rice pops, coating them gently with the chocolate until they are all
completely covered.

STEP 2
Divide the mixture between nine cupcake or 12 fairy cake paper cases – it’s easier if you slide these into a muffin
tin as it will help them hold their shape. Leave to set. If you want them to set faster, put in the fridge for 1 hr.

STEP 3
Drizzle with a little melted chocolate and decorate with sweets, dried fruit or nuts while they are still wet enough
to stick them on. Will keep in an airtight container for five days.

CAKE POPS
Ingredients
For the cake
100g butter
100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
100g self raising flower

For the buttercream
75g butter
150g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
200g white chocolate, melted to dip
Sprinkles to dip

Method

STEP 1
First make the cake. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and line the base of a 20cm sandwich tin.
Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency. Slowly beat in the
eggs, one by one, then fold in the flour and mix well. Tip into the cake tin and bake for about 20 mins until risen
and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.s.

STEP 2
While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter
and icing sugar together until smooth, add the vanilla extract and milk and beat again. Once the cake is cooled,
crumble into large crumbs. Add the butter cream and stir together. Take chunks of the cake mixture and roll into
balls, transferring each ball to a lined tray or plate, push a lollypop stick into each, then put into the fridge for
an hour to set.

STEP 3
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, blasting it and stirring at 10 seconds intervals until smooth. Tip the
sprinkles into another bowl. Take each of the chilled cake pops and dip into the white chocolate, allowing it to
drip off a little over the bowl. Dip into the sprinkles, then stand upright in a mug to dry at room temperature for
an hour, or in the fridge for 30 mins.

EASTER BROWNIE BITES
Ingredients
• 175g butter, chopped
• 250g dark chocolate
• 250g light brown soft sugar
• 85g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 100g milk chocolate chips
• 24 mini chocolate eggs, plus extra to decorate

Method

STEP 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 24 holes of a mini muffin tray with paper cases. Put the butter, dark
chocolate and sugar in a pan and heat it very gently, stirring all the time until the butter and chocolate have
melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few mins.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, sift the flour, cocoa and a good pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir in the warm, melted chocolate
mixture and the beaten eggs, then add half the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

STEP 3
Divide the mixture between the cases and place a mini egg into the middle of each muffin, pushing down gently.
Bake for 12-15 mins until cooked but still gooey in the centre – they will continue cooking a little as they cool
down. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP 4
Melt the rest of the chocolate chips in short bursts in the microwave, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering
water, stirring frequently. Leave to cool until it is quite thick, then dot a small amount on each cake and stick on
some more mini eggs.

EASTER CAKE
Ingredients
• 225g butter, at room temperature
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

STEP 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter two 18cm loose-based cake tins and line the bases with baking
parchment. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer or by hand, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after
each. Fold in the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

STEP 2
Divide the mixture between two bowls. Sift the cocoa powder into one of the bowls. Scrape the vanilla batter into
one tin and the chocolate batter into the other and level the tops. Bake for 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes
out clean. Cool for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely..

STEP 3
To make the icing, beat the butter and add the icing sugar a little at a time, beating each lot in until you have a
smooth, creamy icing. Add a little pink colour and beat it in (add more if you want a stronger colour). Sandwich
the two cakes together with icing and spread the rest on top using a palette knife.