Easter Chocolate

My helpers for this Article are pictured above: Catherine, Grellan and Belle.

Easter means chocolate, too much chocolate. (From Today's Evening Herald - 16/4/09)

In our house Easter eggs and various chocolate bars hang around for weeks after Easter (guzzling) Sunday.

Melting the chocolate with whatever else is left over is a good way to rid the house of this waist stretcher and get the kids interested in cooking.

Cover marshmallows or plain biscuits with chocolate, dip strawberries or grapes, make rice crispie cakes, spread on pancakes, pour on ice cream, or simply use your finger to dip and lick..

Melting cheap milk chocolate as found in the average Easter egg is more difficult due to the lower (or non-existent) cocoa solids so proceed slowly.

Break the chocolate into a small bowl with a couple of spoons of fresh cream (or milk) and place over a saucepan of hot water on low heat. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water (less important for dark chocolate) and that the chocolate melts slowly. Gradually add more chocolate and stir all the time.

Short bursts in a microwave set to medium (fifteen seconds, remove and stir, repeat and repeat) can also work.

Most chocolate bars such as mars and toblerone melt well, a bashed up crunchie or twix will add texture, and smarties or m&ms add colour.

If the chocolate splits and goes grainy you can rescue it by gradually adding the grainy mix to a small amount of hot milk on a very low heat and stirring vigourously.

Biscuits (for dipping or coating)

Ingredients: 350g plain flour, 140g caster sugar, 170g unsalted butter (chilled and chopped), 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, pinch of salt.

Sift the flour into a bowl or food processor, add the caster sugar and butter and mix well until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg, vanilla and salt to a cup, whisk with a fork and add to the biscuit mix. Work the dough lightly until firm; add a teaspoon of water if the mixture is too dry. Roll into a ball, cover in cling film and refrigerate for 30 min.

Roll out the mix on a floured board until the dough is 2-4mm thick, cut into shapes, transfer to a baking tray and bake at 140C/gas 3 for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack and then decorate with melted chocolate and smarties.