Easter treats: Ways to indulge in special goodies

After fasting for Lent, Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday is the most significant feast day on the Christian calendar that celebrates Jesus Christ rising from the dead. Easter bunnies and candies are popular among kids. It also denotes fertility and spring. Nothing can get better than indulging in a collection of some special Easter treats. Try these delectable goodies by renowned chefs.

Vanilla Pannacotta

 By Chef Ranjan Rajani, Hotel Sahara Star

Ingredients:

Heavy cream – 500 ml

Castor Sugar – 60 gm

Vanilla pod – 1 bean

Gelatin – 8 gm

For Mango Agar:

Mango Puree – 250 ml

Castor sugar – 30 gm

Agar agar – 2 gm

Method:

1. Bloom the gelatin in ice cold water.
2. Bring the cream, sugar and vanilla pod in a pan to boil.
3. Let it sit for few hours to infuse.
4. Bring it again to boil.
5. Add the gelatin and strain the mix.
6. Set aside to cool.
7. Pour onto bowl and refrigerate to set.
8. Scoop the centre and place the mango agar.
9. Bring all the ingredients in a pan to boil.
10. Pour the mixture onto the mould and allow to set aside.
    

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Engandine Tart

 By Chef Sundeep Nunes, Bakery Sous Chef, Renaissance Mumbai

(Pate Sucree / Caramelized Walnut / Whipped Chocolate Ganache)

Ingredients for Pate Sucree:

Flour Refined – 250 gm

Butter Unsalted – 100 gm

Icing Sugar – 100 gm

One Whole Egg

Vanilla – ½ Tspn

Method:

1. Sieve the flour at least couple of times.
2. Rub in the cold unsalted butter and icing sugar and make a crumble.
3. Add the egg and form it into a dough.
4. Let it rest in the fridge for couple of hours.
5. Roll the dough with the help of a rolling pin and line a tart mould.
6. Let the lined tart mould rest in the fridge.

Ingredients for Caramelized Walnut:

Fresh Cream – 125 gm

Sugar Castor – 125 gm

Chopped Walnuts –150 gm

Butter Unsalted – 10 gm

Method:

1. Make a golden caramel with the help of sugar.
2. Add the boiled fresh cream to the caramel and keep cooking further to 118 C.
3. Add the chopped walnuts and the unsalted butter.
4. Let the mixture cool down.
5. Pour the mixture into the lined tart mould and seal it with the remaining pate sucree.
6. Bake it at 170 C for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients for Whipped Chocolate Ganache:

Dark Chocolate – 300 gm

Fresh Cream –300 gm

Method:

1. Boil the fresh cream and pour it over the chocolate.
2. Make a ganache out of it.
3. Let the ganache cool down, whip the ganache with the help of a hand whisk.
4. Pipe the ganache into a smaller ring mould and set it in the fridge.
   

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Marzipan Easter Eggs

 By Rachel Goenka, Founder & CEO, Sassy Teaspoon

Ingredients:

Almonds – 250 gm

Sugar – 250 gm

Icing Sugar –200 gm

Two Egg Whites

Rose water for grinding – 1 tsp

Almond essence – 1/4 tsp

Royal icing – Egg whites, vanilla extract & sugar. In a large bowl combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add food colouring, if desired.

Method:

1. Grind the almonds with the egg whites and rose water into a smooth paste.
2. Transfer the paste into a heavy bottomed pan and add the sugar.
3. Cook on a low heat stirring all the time until the mixture forms a ball.
4. Divide the mixture into 10 even sized balls and mould into egg shapes.
5. Decorate with royal icing.
   

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Cracked Gianduja Easter Egg With Gems

 By Chef Jerson-The Executive Chef at Jeon, Sea Princess.

A hazelnut flavoured chocolate egg shell stuffed with gems on piped butter cream grass.

Ingredients:

Tempered chocolate – 500 gm

Hazelnut chocolate – 50gm

Multi coloured gems, as desired

Mint flavoured buttercream for piping

Method:

1. Take tempered chocolate and put it in an egg shaped mould.
2. Chill the mould and de-mould it to get 2 sides of hollow egg shells.
3. Join them using melted chocolate and chill for few minutes to get a perfect hollow egg.
4. Break them in the centre horizontally to resemble a broken egg and stuff it with 20 gm of hazelnut chocolate filling in each egg. Top it with some gems.
5. Place them on a mint flavoured butter cream base resembling grass.

This is again by the same chef, same hotel Sahara star.

Since this is a cocktail, thought it might interest readers. Else you may leave this out.

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Lavender Vodka Spritzer

By Chef Ranjan Rajani, Executive Chef Hotel Sahara.

Cocktail Recipe:

Ingredients:

Vodka – 90 ml

Lavender Syrup –25 ml

Lime Juice – 15 ml

Soda to top up

Method:

In a pre-chilled wine glass, pour lavender syrup. Shake vodka and lime juice and pour in glass. Top up with soda. Garnish with Blueberries.