- Makes c.20 small nests – Ready in 1 hour (including cooling time) -
If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, use GF puffed rice cereal, chocolate without 'may contain' and Cadbury Mini Eggs (they are coeliac-safe).
Gather together...
75g butter (chopped up).
80g (4 tbsp) golden syrup.
300g of any Easter egg chocolate (if you are fed up of them hanging around) - use more milk / dark chocolate than white chocolate, so that the nests turn out brown and twig-like.
(Or use 200g milk chocolate and 100g dark chocolate - 'Cooking chocolate' melts far more easily than regular chocolate and is much less likely to shock and split. Sainsbury's own-brand cooking chocolate is sold in foil and card, so is plastic-free, Green & Black's cooking chocolate is plastic-free AND palm oil-free, but is too pricey for me to use regularly).
6 large shredded wheat (3 paper-wrapped packets) OR 200g gluten-free puffed rice cereal (GF equivalent of Rice Crispies) if you need a wheat-free version.
20 reusable silicone cake cases (the ones I use measure 7cm across the top, 2.5cm deep and 5cm across the base) or use paper cases (base diameter 4.5cm).
1 or 2 paper-packets of Smarties Mini Eggs (but not for under-5s as they are a choking hazard).
20 mini yellow chicks (optional).
Get making...
1. In a BIG pan gently melt the 75g of chopped-up butter and the 80g (4 tbsp) of golden syrup, on the hob.
2. Next turn OFF the heat and add the 200g of milk chocolate and the 100g of dark chocolate to the pan (OR the 300g of leftover Easter chocolate).
3.Gently stir the squares of chocolate until they melt (the hob should still be OFF).
4. Crush up the 6 shredded wheats and add them to the pan, stir well and crush them down really well with a spoon. Or just add the 200g of GF puffed rice cereal to the pan.
5. Divide the mixture between approx. 20 individual cake cases (silicone reusable ones are available), sit the cake cases in metal baking trays for support.
6. Press down the centre of each pile of mixture, to form a nest shape.
7. Fill the nests with paper-packaged Smarties Mini Eggs (but not for children under-5, as they are a choking hazard). For toddlers we cut them up into long, thin pieces - as if they were grapes!
8. Chill the nests in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
9. Once solidified, decorate the nests with (clean) mini chicks and enjoy!
