Marshmallow Easter Eggs - Easter Desserts

I've been making these wonderful marshmallow Easter eggs for years. These candies are a big hit with marshmallow lovers. —Betty Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania.

Ingredients

• 25 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 pounds
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup, divided
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pound dark chocolate candy coating, melted
• Candy coating disks, multiple colors 

Directions

1. Spread 7 cups flour in each of three 13x9-in. pans and 4 cups flour in a 9-in. square pan. Carefully wash the egg in a mild bleach solution (1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to 1 qt. warm water); dry. Press washed egg halfway into the flour to form an impression. Repeat 35 times, 2-in. apart; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over cold water; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup and hot water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in remaining corn syrup.

3. Pour into a large bowl. Add reserved gelatin, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until candy is thick and has cooled to lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

4. Spoon lukewarm gelatin mixture into egg depressions; dust with flour. Let stand for 3-4 hours or until set.

5. Brush excess flour off marshmallow eggs. Dip each egg in chocolate candy coating. Place flat side down on waxed paper. Let stand until set. Drizzle each colored candy coating over eggs. 

Butterfly Sugar Cookies - Easter Desserts

This marbled decorating style is easier than it looks: All you need to do is dip the cookies in a swirled icing—no piping required!

Ingredients:

For the Cookies:

• 2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons salted butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. whole milk

For the Icing:

• 2 lb. powdered sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
• 1/3 c. whole milk
• 2 large pasteurized egg whites
• Red and orange food coloring

Directions:

1. For the cookies: Combine the butter, granulated sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until smooth, then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, until the dough comes together.
2. Divide the dough in half, then flatten both halves into disks and place them in separate resealable plastic bags. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out both pieces of dough until about 1/4 inch thick and cut out as many cookies as you can with 2- to 3-inch butterfly cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the baking sheets and bake until they’re just set but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to racks to cool completely before decorating.
4. For the icing: Combine the powdered sugar, milk and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thick and glossy. Add more powdered sugar if the icing seems too thin. Just play with it until it’s right. The icing should be stiff enough to dip the top side of the cookie and get a thick, even layer.
5. Divide the icing among 3 or 4 smaller bowls. Add 2 to 3 drops each of red and orange food coloring to each bowl, scattering it over the surface of the icing. Drag a toothpick through the drops a few times to make swirls. Dip the top side of each cookie in the icing and let the excess drip off, then let dry on a rack. When the first bowl of icing becomes too muddled, move on to the next. Let the icing dry completely, about 1 hour.

 

Sigrid’s Carrot Cake - Easter Desserts

Sigrid was one of my mom’s dearest friends and I remember every single bite of every single carrot cake she gifted us. You can make it as a sheet cake, a bundt, or a layer cake.

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 c. vegetable oil, plus more for the pans
• 2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 c. grated carrots

For the frosting

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 lb. powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment and grease the parchment. Dust the pans with flour.
2. Whisk the granulated sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the carrots and mix well.
3. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans on a rack, then run a butter knife around the edges of the pans and remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
4. For the frosting: In large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Put one cake layer on a platter and spread with frosting, then top with the other layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top the cake with the pecans.

 

Hot Cross Buns I - Easter Recipes

 

Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns

Ingredients

• ¾ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon instant powdered milk
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ⅜ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• ¾ cup dried currants
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons milk  

 

Directions

Put warm water, butter, skim milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program.

When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add currants and cinnamon. Leave in machine till double.

Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes.

Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk. Place glaze in a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off; pipe a cross onto each roll.

Chick Deviled Eggs - Easter Recipe

Adorable 'deviled' chicks peek out of their eggs. Display in an egg cup or egg tray.

Ingredients

• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 dill pickle, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon pickle juice
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 carrot, cut into rounds
• 12 slices canned black olives, or as needed 

Directions

Slice through the top 1/3 of each egg, ensuring some of the yolk is included in the slice. Carefully remove the egg yolk from the bottom portion of the egg using a spoon and transfer to a bowl.

Mix egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, horseradish, pickle juice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Fill a piping bag or a plastic bag with a corner snipped with the egg yolk mixture. Pipe egg yolk mixture into the hollowed egg whites creating the 'chick', ensuring there is enough filling to add 'eyes' and a 'beak.'

Slice small wedges out of the carrot rounds creating 12 'beaks'. Add a 'beak' to each 'chick'.

Slice olive pieces into small squares to be used as 'eyes.' Add 2 'eyes' to each 'chick.' Place the egg tops onto each 'chick' to look like a chick peaking out of the egg.