Easter parade

Easter is here, and with it a host of sweet treats. Go on... you deserve it!

MINI PAVLOVAS

Ingredients
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
150ml double cream, whipped
1 tbsp icing sugar
150g mascarpone cheese
To serve:
300g bluberries or mixed frozen fruit (thawed)
mini chocolate eggs, fresh mint leaves

Method
Preheat oven to 125C/Gas ½.
Using an electric whisk, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well between each spoonful, until the mixture is firm and glossy, then carefully fold in the cornflour and vinegar. 
Spoon heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto two lined baking sheets, creating little nest shapes with a well in the centre.
Place in the oven for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to 100C/Gas ¼ and cook for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave inside overnight to cool.
Place the nests on a platter, whip the cream and icing sugar together and stir through the marscapone (soften the marscapone with a fork first). Spoon the mixture into the middle of the pavlovas, top with blueberries and mint leaves and serve.

KULICH WITH SWISS MERINGUE

Sweet bread like this kulich is enjoyed in Eastern Europe to celebrate the risen Christ. It is baked in old baked bean/soup tins, 500g instant coffee tins, or loaf tins. This recipe provides dough for 2 x 450g deep cake/pork pie tins (approx. 10.5cm) or 2 x 500g instant coffee tins, or 2 x 450g loaf tins. You can top with water icing rather than meringue, and buy the mini meringues rather than making them.

Ingredients

3 x 7g sachets yeast
125ml warm water
125ml warm milk
900g plain flour
4 eggs, beaten
2 egg yolks, beaten
250g unsalted butter, melted
100g raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g honey
165g caster sugar
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp salt

Swiss meringue topping:
150g egg whites (about 5)
300g white caster sugar

Meringue kisses (optional):
2 large egg whites at room temp
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch salt
115g granulated sugar

Method
Dissolve yeast in 125ml warm water in a large bowl. Add milk and 150g of the flour, and whisk until smooth. Cover and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
Mix eggs, egg yolks, butter, raisins, vanilla extract, honey, sugar, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Add to the yeast mixture and gradually beat in the remaining 750g flour with a wooden spoon. Place in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for 8 mins or until smooth and elastic (or knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 mins or until smooth and elastic).
Line tins with baking parchment. Divide dough evenly between each, cover and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Bake for 45 mins or until the kulich is golden and a metal skewer inserted in the centre comes away clean (cover with foil if it browns too quickly). 
Remove from the oven, leave in the tins for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the meringue kisses (optional): Preheat oven to 100C/Gas ¼. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Beat until peaks form, then gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Pipe meringues onto the sheet or drop the mixture in large teaspoonfuls. Bake for 90mins. Remove and leave to cool.
For the Swiss meringue topping: Heat 4cm water in a pan over a low-medium heat to a gentle simmer. Put the egg whites and sugar in mixing bowl, rest the bowl over the simmering water and using a flexible spatula or wooden spoon stir constantly for 10 mins or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 72C on a digital thermometer (keep the water at the gentlest simmer or you risk cooking the egg whites and you’ll have to start again). Once the mixture reaches 72C, remove from the heat and whisk until you have stiff peaks and the meringue is no longer warm to the touch. Spoon the cooled meringue over the top of the cakes, and top with meringue kisses.