Treat your guests To yummy desserts this Easter:
Sunny Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon zest, freshly grated
125 gm unsalted butter, diced into ¼ inch pieces
For the custard:
3 eggs
8 egg yolks
250 gm granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
½ tsp lemon zest, freshly grated
1 cup lemon juice
For garnishing:
50 gm powdered sugar
Method
For the crust:
Preheat the oven at 1800C, and line an aluminium baking pan with a piece of butter paper. Mix the flour, powdered sugar, salt and butter. When the batter forms a semi dry mixture, add lemon zest and mix well. Scatter into the prepared baking pan, press into an even layer, and bake for 30 minutes.
For the custard:
Combine the whole eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for three minutes. Now, increase the heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring for another eight minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and after it cools down a bit add the lemon juice and zest. Strain into the prepared crust and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes at 1800C. Now, remove the foil and cool to room temperature, then re-cover and refrigerate until cold and firm. Once set, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
2 cups flour
1¼ tsp instant dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm milk
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp sugar
1 eggs
½ tsp salt
For filling:
2½ tbsp butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For icing:
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp milk
Method
Preheat the oven 1800C. For the dough, add ½ teaspoon of sugar, yeast and 1/3 cup of the milk, and stir to dissolve. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 tbsp sugar, salt, melted butter, dissolved yeast, eggs and the rest of the milk. Knead until the dough is soft. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. In another bowl combine butter with cinnamon and sugar. On a floured surface, roll the dough and spread the butter-cinnamon mixture on it. Roll the dough, seal the seam with water and cut into equal size rolls. Place on a parchment paper lined tray with a little distance between them to allow them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm place for about one hour, until doubled in size. Bake the rolls for about 15-20 minutes until they turn light brown in colour. For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with vanilla essence and milk and before serving drizzle over the rolls.
Pineapple upside down cake
Ingredients
1 pineapple, cut in rings
15-20 cherries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
250 gm butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp pineapple essence
½ cup pineapple juice
Method
Preheat the oven at 1800C. In a pan, melt some butter, sprinkle the light brown sugar and arrange the pineapple rings over it. Once it is caramelised, place the cherry at the centre of each pineapple ring. Grease the cake tin with butter and keep it aside. Beat the butter and sugar until a creamy texture is formed. Add the eggs one by one and keep whisking. Now, add the flour, baking soda, pineapple essence and juice. Mix the batter well. If required, you can add a little warm milk to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter in the greased mould. Bake it for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool down for 10 minutes. Now turn the cake upside down and place the caramelised pineapples on it.
