Easter

The Triduum and Easter Sunday came and went in a flash.

Exhausting and wonderful on so many levels. Spiritually...Socially. 

Then there was the food. Such food.

I held an inaugural baking class for my younger siblings and their friends on the morning of Holy Saturday.  The timing was a bit of a mistake but otherwise, it was great. We made Sunshine Muffins, and decorated them like Easter baskets...and fed them to our families on Sunday.

We made three batches - myself and my 12-year-old brother, the two nine-year-olds, and the two little girls. Tragically, on the little girls' batch the the paper began to smoke and burn before the muffins were set. The reason remains a mystery; it might have been that they used different paper liners, or that theirs were on the lowest of rack. Neither makes a lot of sense since muffin liners, in my humble opinion, ought to withstand 350 degrees for 15 minutes without turning to ash; also, our oven is convection.

But they were still quite edible (if you're not afraid of a little undercooked egg, and I'm not. Is that a bad example to set for children? Oops. Well I've licked beaters all my life and I am still living.) More to the point, they were tasty judging by the empty burnt wrappers I cleaned up later. We used the ugly ones as taste-testers, and shared around  the unburnt muffins for the little girls to decorate. I was quite impressed with the general acceptance of this classic baking calamity and of its consequences. A batch of true up and coming bakers in the works.

Another small sampling of the Easter enterprises in my kitchen this year, which we came home to late Saturday night and enjoyed for several subsequent breakfasts as well...

Raspberry Chocolate Almond Crostata, with an imperceptibly gluten-free pastry.

Raspberries are fruit I do love best with rich, dark chocolate. Add almond into the mix, and I am even more convinced. Cradled in perfect pastry and dolloped in whipped cream? Words fail me.

I got the idea and made the filling using a simple Pillsbury recipe, then did my own GF crust, which was inspired by Julie's recipe from "Mennonite Girls can Cook".