Easter Sweets Recipes & Easter Decor

Is the snow melting where you live, the sun a little stronger and happy spring feelings in the air? Ready for a little Easter fun – some whimsy and punches of colour? Well, the Land of Nod sent me some fun Easter products to try and the Meri Meri Easter paper goods are wonderful – just a little cheeky and with a punch of neon color. I loved everything they sent me.To go with all the fun plates, cups, garland, baskets and bunny ears, I decided to make lemon sable cookies dipped in chocolate with the fun Meri Meri Easter cookie cutters. Not only are these cookies fun, but the recipe is easy to make, versatile and dipping things in chocolate is always a good idea.

 

Chocolate Dipped Lemon Sablé (French Shortbread recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 150 g butter at room temperature
• 95 g powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 vanilla bean (pod)
• lemon zest from one lemon
• 280 g of flour
• 2 g salt
• 100 g of dark chocolate
• 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
• royal icing and sprinkles

Instructions

1. Mix butter with powdered sugar until fluffy. Add egg and whisk well.
2. Cut and scrape vanilla bean. Add seeds to dough and mix.
3. Add lemon zest and mix.
4. Add flour in small amounts and mix. Add salt and mix.
5. Wrap dough in plastic and store in fridge for at least an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350F.
7. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shape and place on parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until edges are golden.
9. To decorate, melt chocolate gently in microwave in 15 seconds intervals. Add cream and stir until you have a smooth glossy texture. Dip each cookie into chocolate, let excess drip off and place on parchment to dry and add sprinkles. Add royal icing details if you want.

To add to our small dessert table we also made a lemon loaf cake. Again, easy to make in advance, keeps well, simple to transport and just as perfect as a dessert or a breakfast indulgence. You could also use the recipe for muffins and use the Easter cupcake liners and toppers available.

Lemon Loaf (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Serving Size: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds (optional)
• 1-2 cups of icing sugar
• Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Butter and flour two 4 1/2-by-8-inch (6-cup) loaf pans.
2. In a small bowl (or liquid measuring cup), combine buttermilk with lemon zest and juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in poppy seeds.
4. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with the buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth (do not over mix).
5. Divide batter evenly between pans. Smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 minutes (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn out cakes onto a rack; cool completely before glazing.
6. Make glaze by combining 2-4 tablespoons of milk with icing sugar until you get the consistency you like. You want it to drip but not be too watery. Add lemon juice if you want.
7. Set rack with cakes over a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Pour glaze over cakes, letting it run down the sides; let dry, about 30 minutes. (I also added leftover royal icing from my cookie decorating.)