Mini Egg Brownies

I made these this delicious fudgey Mini Egg Brownies this morning with Bridget and Beatrice, which was a lovely way to spend Mother's Day morning as we weren't able to visit the girls' Nanny's as we usually would. 

The same recipe would work with any mini chocolate eggs, Smarties, M&M's or anything chocolatey. You could also just use chunks of chocolate or chocolate chips instead.

Whole Mini Eggs can be a choking hazard for small children under the age of five, so if I use them in any baking recipe, such as Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs I cut them in half using either a knife or crush them into 2-3 pieces using the end of a rolling pin.

Mini Egg Brownies

Here's how:

• 250g dark chocolate 
• 185g salted butter at room temperature
• 80g plain flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 275g caster sugar
• 300g Mini Eggs

Firstly put the oven onto 180 degrees and grease and line a square or rectangular dish or tin. 

Place a small pan of water on to boil. Break up 200g of the dark chocolate and pop into a bowl with the butter and place over the boiling water. Use a wooden spoon to mix together until completely melted into chocolate lava, remove from the heat and set aside for the minute.

In a mixing bowl crack the eggs and add the caster sugar and vanilla and whisk for a few minutes until light and frothy. Set aside.

Into another bowl, sieve in the flour, cocoa and pinch of salt and give a rough stir to combine.

Now cut the remaining dark chocolate into small chunks, and cut or bash up the Mini Eggs. If you're making the brownies only for adult-consumption, you can of course keep them whole. 

Now gently pour in about half of the melted chocolate and butter into the whisked eggs and sugar, and use a wooden spoon to gently fold in, using a figure of eight technique. Be careful to be gentle here as you don't want to knock out all of the air. 

Once they are combined, repeat the process with the flour and cocoa into the chocolate batter. 

Once completely combined, add the chocolate chunks and two thirds of the Mini Eggs and give one final stir and then pour the batter into the dish and place into the oven for 28 minutes exactly.

Mini Egg Brownies

Once out of the oven, allow to stand in the dish for at least 30 minutes, and then use a sharp knife to cut into the portion size you require and enjoy!

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

I absolutely love the annual onslaught of Easter and all the chocolatey goodness that comes our way since having children but I'm very nervous about Mini Eggs or any other solid chocolate eggs of that shape and size because of the obvious choking risk.

We came up with these cookies last year in order to allow my girls to enjoy the Mini Eggs that were bought for them without me panicking about any choking risk. 

The cookie mixture is a recipe I use loads and is always well-received, you could always up the chocolate chips instead, or add raisins and oats instead. 

Bridget and Beatrice enjoyed making these this morning and enjoyed eating a couple straight after baking even more. I adore cooking with my girls - it's a fun, educational and sensory experience. 

Whatever your plans this Easter have a fabulous long weekend.

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Here's how:

Ingredients:

• 150g salted butter, room temperature
• 85g brown sugar
• 85g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp cocoa (I use Green & Black's)
• 240g plain flour
• 100g milk chocolate
• Mini Eggs (80g bag) 

Method:

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees and line a couple of baking trays with grease-proof paper.

If cooking with children, I tend to do the chopping etc. first - so I would at this stage chop the Mini Eggs in half or thirds and chop the chocolate bar into chunky pieces.

Now measure the butter and sugars and add to a mixing bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon.

Bridget and Beatrice making Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Bridget and Beatrice making cookies

Once well combined, add the egg and vanilla and mix well. 

Now add the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and the milk and again, mix well. 

Once you have achieved a good cookie dough consistency, add the chocolate chunks - but not the Mini Eggs. (If the cookie dough is too clunky or dry add a little extra milk a drop at a time until you are happy). 

Now use a couple of tablespoons to scoop out the cookies - you will need to do in a couple of batches, so don't be tempted to pack them on too tightly on the baking trays. Use about a heaped tablespoon in a round and place 5-6 on each,  try to keep them well spaced apart. You don't need to press them down or anything just leave in a round.

Place them into the oven for four minutes, by which time they will have spread out a little, and then remove and carefully place the Mini Eggs into each cookie 2-3 pieces  per cookie, with the coloured side up. 

Return to the oven and cook for a further 8 minutes. 

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack or board to cool. Enjoy!