Surrey Homes | SH110 | March 2024 | Kitchen & Bathroom Supplement inside

Let’s Celebrate
Whether it’s sweet or savoury you’re craving this Easter
weekend, Jo Arnell’s got it covered with egg-based recipes
for a family feast Photographs: David Merewether
Symbolic of the season, packed with goodness and so versatile,
eggs are the highlight this month. As any hen keeper will know,
eggs are plentiful right now – and may well already be the dish
of the day. They’re delicious when simply boiled, poached or fried,
but eggs are the foundation of many a recipe and a great, neatly
packaged standby. It’s useful to have a handy supply of egg-based
meals on hand at any time of the year, but Easter seems an especially
appropriate moment to celebrate them and welcome in the spring.
Easter Nests
Makes 8 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: approx 1 hour
Cute nutty nests packed with cream, fruit and chocolate eggs make a great Easter
dessert and are hard to resist. Make these mini pavlovas (slightly) more healthy
with extra fruit, or give in to the treat of the holiday and pile on the mini eggs.
• 4 eggs, separated
• 200g sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 75g chopped (or ground) roasted hazelnuts (optional)
• 300ml double cream
• 100g fruit – raspberries / strawberries / pomegranate seeds
• 1 pack mini eggs
1. Meringue, like cake, seems to notice if you’re in a hurry or a bad mood, so be
warned. Whisk the egg white – at room temperature and free from any bits of
yolk – until foamy and then slowly, one spoonful at a time, add the sugar, whisking
as you go. (Dumping all the sugar in at once will cause the meringue to split.)
2. Once the sugar is incorporated, add a teaspoon of cornflour and
gradually add in the hazelnuts. Dollop 2 tablespoonfuls per ‘nest’ onto
a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking tray (you may need more than
one tray) and form into shape, making a dip in the centre of each one
to resemble a nest (you can also pipe the meringue to shape).
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven (140°C or Gas 2) for 30 minutes and
then turn off the heat and leave to cool before removing the meringues.
Slow cooling will stop them cracking as they dry out. They will keep
for several days in an airtight tin, so can be made in advance.
4. Whip the cream to soft peaks then – once the meringues are cool – spoon or
pipe cream into the centre of each nest. Decorate with fruit and/or mini eggs.
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