Easter Baking Recipe

By: Maria Garcia Manzano

Easter will be different this year. No indoor household gatherings greater than your designated visitors will be permitted. As a result, the extended family gatherings we have gotten used to from years before the pandemic will not be possible this year. Last year during this time, we were slowly settling into the new “COVID normal.” Restrictions on gatherings were lighter than what they are now. Some people were able to enjoy their last typical Easter gathering.

This year in an attempt to brighten your Easter holiday, I have found the most fun baking recipes that I believe will lift your spirits. While you may not be able to showcase your baked goods over Easter lunch/supper, you will nonetheless be able to show them off to your extended family through social media or by dropping some off at their door. I picked out my favorite recipes from the Food Network, where sixty-five recipes are available.

In case you do not want to bake any of the options I suggest, you can find more options here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/photos/easter-sweets

Bunny Oreo Balls: A no-bake dessert! They are a fun easter themed dessert that will have your family saying “Wow, they’re so cute!” The total time for making these is 2 hours.

Ingredients:

One 14.3-ounce package chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreo (about 36 cookies)
6 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon meringue powder (available in the baking aisle)
Pink gel food coloring
Black gel food coloring
2 cups white candy melting wafers (about 13 ounces)
1 teaspoon refined coconut oil
White sanding sugar, for decorating
Pink sanding sugar, for decorating
45 mini marshmallows

Directions:

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Pulse the cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and pulse together until the mixture begins to ball up. Transfer to a large bowl and knead together a few times until completely combined.
Roll about 1/3 of the mixture into 18 truffles (about 1 level tablespoon each) and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Roll the remaining mixture into 18 larger truffles, (about 1 heaping tablespoon each), and place on the second prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm and chilled through, about 1 hour.
While the truffles chill, prepare the decorations.
For the royal icing, combine the confectioner's sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed just to combine. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons water and increase the speed to medium. Beat the mixture until the icing is stiff enough to hold a peak but soft enough to pipe, about 2 minutes. If the icing gets too stiff, add up to 1/2 teaspoon more water.
Divide the icing evenly between 2 bowls. Tint one bowl of icing bright pink using the pink food coloring. Tint the remaining bowl of icing with the black food coloring. Transfer the pink and black icings to separate piping bags (with no cut openings) or to resealable plastic bags and set aside.
For the white coating, combine the candy melting wafers and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until the wafers are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute 20 seconds. Set aside.
Put some white sanding sugar and pink sanding sugar in separate bowls.
For the bunny tails: Cut 9 of the marshmallows crosswise to create 18 halves. Carefully dip one flat side of each marshmallow piece in the white candy coating, let the excess drip off and then dip in the white sanding sugar. Place each marshmallow piece sugar-side up on a plate to set. These will be the bunny tails.
For the bunny ears: Cut 18 of the marshmallows in half on the diagonal to create 18 pairs of bunny ears. Dip the cut side of each marshmallow piece in the pink sanding sugar. Place sugar-side up on the plate with the tails to set.
For the bunny feet: Cut the remaining 18 marshmallows in half lengthwise to create 18 pairs of feet. Set aside on the plate with the tails and ears.
Put a truffle in the white coating and use 2 forks to evenly coat. Lift out the truffle, letting any excess drip off, then return to the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining truffles (both sizes) until all are all coated. If the coating cools to room temperature during the dipping process, microwave it in 20-second intervals to reheat. Reserve the leftover white coating to use as glue for the tails, ears and feet.
For the heads: Dip the bottoms of 2 bunny ears in the leftover white coating, place on top of a small truffle and hold in place until the coating sets, about 15 seconds. Snip a very small tip off the corner of each bag of icing. Pipe a small pink heart for a nose on the front (face) of the truffle. Pipe a pair of eyes and mouth using the black royal icing. Repeat with the remaining small truffles.
For the bottoms: Dip the cut side of a marshmallow tail in the leftover white coating. Place the tail on top of one of the large truffles and hold in place until the coating sets, about 15 seconds. Dip the cut sides of two marshmallow feet in the leftover white coating. Position them on the truffle below the tail and hold until set in place. Use the pink royal icing to pipe a large oval on the top each foot and 3 small circles underneath for toes. Repeat with the remaining large truffles.
Return all the truffles to the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Serve chilled.