Easter Nests by Rachel Allen
Another recipe from Rachel Allen's fab book Cake (Collins, £25). So many things in there I would love to try!
This is super easy. What I suggest is to crumble half of the Shredded Wheat and add half of the melted chocolate and then do the rest. I tried it with with dark and then with milk chocolate. The best for me was a mix of both.
You also have to be quite quick when making the nests and get those mini eggs in there quick too. If you find they haven't stuck you can dip them in the leftover melted chocolate (if you have any!) or melt some more.
I made her chocolate cupcakes and iced them with the icing below and placed the nests on top. The icing is OK but to be honest I try to avoid making icing with icing sugar and butter- too much mess, too much effort.
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| Vanilla cupcakes iced with the simple & quick icing. I used milk chocolate for the nest. |
Another fast option is to mix in a bowl sifted icing sugar with a tiny amount of water (you don't want it too runny) or lemon juice and keep it white or add food colouring. I baked vanilla cupcakes, covered them with this simple icing and placed the nests made with milk chocolate on top. I think it looks good too (main photo).
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| Chocolate cupcake covered with ganache. |
For the nests
Makes enough for 12 cupcakes or more if you make them small
100g (3 1/2oz) dark or milk chocolate, in drops or broken into pieces
4 Shredded Wheat
36 sugar-coated mini chocolate eggs
For the icing
100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, softened
225g (8oz) icing sugar, sifted
25ml (1fl oz) milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
A few drops of green food colouring (optional)
To make the nests, first line a baking tray with baking parchment. then place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave just until melted, stirring occasionally, then removed from the heat.
Crumble the Shredded Wheat and add these to the melted chocolate, mixing in until well coated. Working quickly, add about 2 teaspoons of the mixture to form a small mound on the baking parchment. Use your fingers to press down the centre to form a rough nest shape, then add 3 mini eggs, pressing them down into the nest. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and eggs until you have 12 nests, then leave on the tray to cool and set.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer and cream together until fluffy and light. Gradually add the milk with the vanilla extract and food colouring (if using) and continue beating the mixture until smooth. When the cupcakes are cool, ice them using a palette knife or the back of a teaspoon. Place a nest on top of each cake, pressing carefully but firmly into the icing.
Crumble the Shredded Wheat and add these to the melted chocolate, mixing in until well coated. Working quickly, add about 2 teaspoons of the mixture to form a small mound on the baking parchment. Use your fingers to press down the centre to form a rough nest shape, then add 3 mini eggs, pressing them down into the nest. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and eggs until you have 12 nests, then leave on the tray to cool and set.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer and cream together until fluffy and light. Gradually add the milk with the vanilla extract and food colouring (if using) and continue beating the mixture until smooth. When the cupcakes are cool, ice them using a palette knife or the back of a teaspoon. Place a nest on top of each cake, pressing carefully but firmly into the icing.
