While we've been too busy trying to lose the last of the Christmas weight the seasonal aisles of supermarkets have long since surrendered to the mountains of brightly packaged chocolate eggs which signal that spring is, if not yet here, then at least vaguely appearing on the horizon.
A long weekend awaits, promising good company, great food and, let's face it, questionable weather. Having a couple of extra days either side of the weekend is the best excuse to get in the kitchen and indulge in some leisurely baking, whipping up treats for all the family which, temperature pending, can be enjoyed in the garden after a successful day of egg hunting. Alongside classic bakes such as hot cross buns and the mighty Simnel cake we've also collected some more unusual Easter baking ideas for breads, cakes and puddings. The all important Easter lunch, too, is well covered here, with tips for achieving the perfect roast lamb joint, traditions from around the world and ideas for vegetarian alternatives.
While the Christmas turkey is one of the most polarising foodie traditions, the prospect of a sizzling joint of roast lamb on Easter Sunday rarely results in debate. With its initial roots in religious celebrations, lamb is still eaten around the world across the Easter weekend and is the perfect way to see in spring and the glorious produce to follow. We've collected some of our favourite roast lamb recipes to provide inspiration for Easter lunch, as well as some fabulous desserts to round off your meal.
While we have our buns and Simnel cakes, Easter traditions vary greatly in countries around the world. From sweet Swedish buns to egg pies, olive bread and towering Russian cheesecakes, we've rounded up some of the most popular Easter recipes from around the world to add a little variety to your weekend menu.
Whether or not you've struggled through Lent this year, reward yourself for at least surviving the gloomy winter blues to make it to spring with an orgy of baking, whipping and smearing. Use up any spare chocolate eggs or truffles (should you be lucky enough to be left with such things) as decorations for cakes and muffins, or incorporate the classic Easter flavours of plump dried fruit and spice into scones, sweet breads and brownies.
