Chocolate Easter Nests

Butter Chicken

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over low heat, add onion, ginger and garlic cooking for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in spices and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add almond meal and continue cooking a further minute. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a slow cooker.

2. Add the chicken to the slow cooker arranging in one layer and add the passata and water. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Stir in the cream and serve sprinkled with almonds and accompanied with rice and naan bread.

*For a faster cooking time, cook on High heat for 4 hours.

Simnel Cake

Preheat the oven to 180degress.

Butter the walls of your Bundt tin well.

Chop your glace cherries into quarters and mix into your mixed fruit.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add the lemon zest.

Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and ground almonds into a bowl and stir to combine.

Into the whipped butter and sugar mix, add 1 of the eggs with a quarter of the dry ingredients.

Add in the other 2 eggs in the same way, followed by the rest of the dry mix remaining.

Mix in the mix, then the fold in the fruit.

Spoon the mixture evenly around the Bundt tin and smooth out the mix.

Bake on 180degrees for 30 minutes and then turn down the oven to 150 degrees for 1.5 hours or until the cake has risen and a skewer comes out clean.

Let the cake rest for 15 minutes before turning it out to cool further.

For the icing, mix the icing sugar, milk and orange juice together and pour over and enjoy!

Muesli Bar Slice

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 28cm x 18cm x 3cm tin

1. In a large bowl mix together the oats, oat bran, bran, sunflower kernels, flour, apricots and sultanas.
2. Melt the butter, honey and brown sugar in the microwave for 1 minute and add to the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg and milk until well combined.
3. Press into greased and lined tin and bake for 15 minutes. Cut into slices when cooled.

Apple & Sultana Crumble Cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 22cm spring form pan and line the base with baking paper.

2. Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

3. Add sour cream, followed by the flour, almond meal and spice. Mix until batter is smooth. Add sultanas, mixing in well. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with diced apples.

4. For the crumble, combine oats, sugar and butter in a bowl and using fingertips, rub to combine so mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Mix in the almonds. Sprinkle over apples and bake for 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with custard or cream.

Tomato & Raisin Chutney

1. Place tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, raisins, spices and salt into a large saucepan. Heat over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increased heat and bring to a simmer, cooking for approximately 1 hour, until thickened and reduced. Stirring often throughout cooking time to prevent sticking to the bottom.
2. Place washed and rinsed jars into an oven so they are hot. Remove to a benchtop and pour chutney between the jars. Wipe clear covers with vinegar and place over the top of each jar, sealing with an elastic band. Allow to cool before screwing jar lids on and decorating for giving as gifts.

 Once opened, store chutney in the refrigerator.

Sunbeam Banana Bread with Sultanas