Thought I’d get round to making these this Easter, as I made them last year too but never posted them! I made the cupcakes with peanut butter but you could leave this out if you have allergies. Chocolate buttercream piped using a Willton multi-tip gives that great twig nest look.

{Makes about 20 normal size cupcakes}

95mins (including cooling time) – Prep time: 35 mins – Cooking time: 20mins – Icing time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Peanut butter cupcakes

• 6oz self-raising flour
• 6oz caster sugar
• 6oz butter/margarine, softened
• 3eggs
• 3tbsp peanut butter (preferably peanut butter)

Chocolate buttercream

• 500g icing sugar
• 200g plain chocolate (at least 50% cocoa solids, I used 85%)
• 110g butter (30g piece and 80g piece)
• 70ml milk

You will also need a multi tip piping tip like Wilton #233

Mini eggs to decorate

Instructions

Oven temp: 180°C/320°F/Gas Mark 3

1. Lay out cupcake cases. If you use silicon you can lay them on a flat baking tray, if you use paper ones, I advise using a bun tin to make the cakes hold their shape
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar for about 4 minutes with an electric hand whisk and beat air into the mix so it fluffs up.
3. Bit by bit, sieve in the flour and baking powder and add bits of butter, whisking the mixture each time to ensure a smooth texture, until fully mixed, then mix in the peanut butter.
4. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cupcake cases, ensuring you smooth the tops down (it doesn’t have to be perfect!)
5. Put the cupcakes into the oven for 15-20 minutes until they feel spongey and the tops have got some colour.
6. Once out of the oven, place on a wire cooling rack to cool down
7. To make the buttercream: melt the chocolate and 30g butter in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool down.
8. In a large bowl, sieve the icing sugar and add the remaining butter plus milk and cooled chocolate. Whisk together with an electric whisk gently to keep the mixture smooth and prevent too many air bubbles getting in. It also stops the icing sugar causing a storm in the kitchen!
9. Filling your piping bag with the buttercream, use about half at a time or it’s too hard apply the right pressure. Holding the piping bag upright, pipe a little squidge in the middle, then very slowly pipe the nest, building up the side of the nest bit by bit rather than going round and round. The pressure you apply will give it the “spaghetti” look.
10. Finish off by putting two mini eggs in each nest!

The very nice people over at American Soda sent me some delicious freebies – American sweets and chocolates! Instead of doing a post about the chocolate itself, I decided to use some of them as ingredients for these delicious brownies. The fluff and Reese’s cups adds a delicious chewy crunchy texture to the top of the brownie, whilst the inside remains slightly gooey – exactly how a brownie should be!

{Makes 12 squares}

55 mins – Prep time: 20 mins – Cooking time: 35mins

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate (make sure it’s got a good % of cocoa in it)
• 120g butter
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 140g plain flour
• 2tsp vanilla
• 3 Reese’s peanut butter cups *
• 125ml (1/2 cup) Strawberry fluff *
• 12 Hershey’s kisses *

* Available from American Soda

Instructions

Oven temp: 175°C/350°F

1. Line an 8″ (20cm) square pan with foil then grease it using a little oil.
2. Break the chocolate into pieces in a bowl along with the butter and melt together over a pan of boiling water.
3. Whisk in eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar bit by bit.
4. Sift in the flour bit by bit, the mixture will become quite stiff.
5. Pour half of the mixture into the pan. Using half of the Strawberry Marshmallow Fluff, drop dollops of the mixture into the brownie mix and swirl a little using a fork.
6. Pour the other half of the mixture on top and repeat dropping the dollops of fluff and swirling..
7. Smash the Reese’s cups and sprinkle over the top, and drop in the Hershey’s kisses, pushing them in a little so they go beneath the surface of the mixture.
8. Give one last little swirl to the batter, then bake in the oven for around 35 minutes (my oven runs a little hot so this may take longer). It will go a little crusty on the top but a cake tester in the middle of the mixture will come out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the pan. Then slice. They also taste great warm with a little ice cream!

These make a great party snack or even a tasty supper when served with rice! Good quality chicken is a must, and don’t forget, the longer you marinate these the better they’ll taste! So if you have time to prepare these the day before, even better.

Tip: Add 1tbsp curry powder when adding the peanut butter and brown sugar to the pan for a spiced up version

{Serves 3 people when served with rice as a dinner}

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp oil

For the satay sauce

• 200ml coconut milk
• 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter (I find smooth works better but if you prefer crunchy, go ahead)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• Dash of pepper

Instructions

• Crush the garlic, roughly chop and coriander and mix with the oil in a large bowl/tray.
• Using a meat tenderiser, gently bash the chicken between cling film. This stops it moving about and ensures even tenderising! Then cut into small 2cm wide slices.
• Mix the chicken with the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least one hour, preferably overnight.
• Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in a bowl of water, this stops them burning. Then gently push the chicken onto the skewers. We used approximately 10 skewers, using about ⅔ of each skewer.
• Cook the chicken for around 12-15 minutes, turning halfway to ensure even cooking.
• To make the sauce: Put the oil in the pan and warm slightly over a medium heat before adding the peanut butter and brown sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve and the peanut butter to become runnier before mixing in the coconut milk bit my bit. Bring to the boil then leave to simmer gently for 5 minutes.
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