VINTAGE EASTER CHOCOLATE MOLDS: Bunnies, Eggs, and Chicks, Oh My!

I adore Chocolate Molds, particularly the vintage metal ones. Here are a few great Chocolate Molds for Easter.  Bunnies, Eggs, and Chicks, oh My!

CHOCOLATE ORANGE HOT CROSS BUNS: Easter

A few years ago Jo Pratt posted this recipe for Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns - an Easter Recipe -- on the Mailonline. If you want to make hot cross buns and add chocolate without making a chocolate bun, you can make regular hot cross buns and add chocolate chips instead of raisins. But give this one a try. I've converted the measurements from the U.K. to the U.S. If you want to check out the original recipe with UK measurements, go HERE. Makes 12 buns.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE HOT CROSS BUNS

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp superfine sugar (castor sugar)
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups white flour
4 tsp dark cocoa powder
1 tsp mixed spice  (combo of allspice, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 Tbsp chopped mixed peel (candied citrus peel)*
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 3/4 fast action dried yeast
1/2 cup or 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
Flour for dusting

For the Crosses and Glaze
1/4 cup white flour
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
2-3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp caster sugar

Directions
Place milk in saucepan over low heat. Just before it boils, remove from heat and stir in sugar and butter, until dissolved. Add 1/4 cold water and leave to cool down until you can comfortably hold your finger in it for a few seconds.

Sift together flour, cocoa, mixed spice (if you're using it), and salt in large bowl and stir in mixed peel, orange zest, and yeast. Make a well in center and pour in warm milk mixture and beaten egg. Mix together until you have a sticky dough. Add chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, and knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp tea towel and leave to rise in  warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in volume. Punch dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Divide into 12 pieces and shape into buns.

Place on greased baking sheets, leaving enough space between each for rising. Cover with tea towel and leave to rise again until doubled in size – about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F.

For glaze, mix flour and oil with 2-3 Tbsp water until smooth.

Lightly cut cross in center of each of buns with knife to mark out your crosses. Using piping bag (or  plastic bag with corner snipped off), pipe on crosses. Cook buns for 15-18 minutes until golden and sound hollow when tapped underneath.

Place orange juice and sugar in small pan, and gently heat until sugar dissolves. As soon as  buns are out of oven, brush with glaze and leave to cool slightly on wire rack before serving warm.

EASTER EGG BROWNIES

Want an alternative to Chocolate Easter Eggs this year? Make these Easter Egg Brownies. This recipe is adapted from  Kraft Recipes. You can always use your favorite brownie recipe or a mix. Whatever works for you.

EASTER EGG BROWNIES

Ingredients
4 ounces unsweetened Chocolate  (or very dark chocolate and reduce the sugar)
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped Walnuts
assorted decorating gels
assorted candies

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Line 13 x 9-inch pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Grease foil; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over another saucepan over simmering water. Stir until chocolate is completely melted (but don't burn).
Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in flour and nuts until well blended; spread into prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.)
Cool completely.
Use foil handles to lift brownies from pan. Cut into egg shapes with 3-inch oval cookie cutter.
Decorate with decorating gels and candies to resemble Easter eggs (as in photo or get creative!) 

Serve in an Easter basket! How fun!

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE: Easter

Easter is next Sunday, and here's the perfect cake to celebrate: Peeps Chocolate Sunflower Cake.

Peeps are an important part of the Easter tradition for so many people. I love to use Peeps in desserts. I usually check out the Peeps website for fun Peeps Recipes. Here's an extremely easy Chocolate Sunflower Cake recipe. Perfect for Easter or Spring celebrations.

The recipe below uses shortcuts (boxed mixes and ready-made icing), but you can use any favorite from scratch recipes.

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

Ingredients
3 packages (5 ct. each) Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks
1 standard box cake mix – see package for additional ingredients
2 containers of chocolate frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tube green decorating icing with piping tips (optional)

Directions
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making two 8″ round cakes.
Cut thin slice off the top of each cake to make them level.
Place one round cake on a plate or cake stand and top with chocolate frosting. Place second round cake on top of frosting. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.
Place Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks on top of cake around the diameter with their tails facing out. Place chocolate chips on top of cake in a circular pattern.
If desired, use a leaf-shaped tip to pipe green decorating icing at base of cake.