Bunny Bonkers

Ashley Thomas at home
Are you ready for Easter? This year it seems early on in the year so it may catch you by surprise.
I really love Easter, it means spring is officially here. Bring on the country walks through fields of baby lambs, flowers starting to appear in the garden and we can start to plan a lovely summer ahead.

Easter bank holiday is a great chance to have a nice long weekend with family and friends and stuff yourself on chocolate of course! Get your table in ship shape and ready for all the family coming over on Easter Sunday with my new collection exclusively available at Debenhams. The range is all the key pieces you need such from the essential bunny egg cup (be quick these sold out very quickly last year) to the stunning bunny cake stand. As well as a few gift ideas too, a gorgeous tea for one the perfect hostess present if you are going somewhere else for Easter lunch or a very beautiful bunny money box which is a great alternative gift to chocolate for the grown up kids.

 
Bunny tea for two

  
 Bunny Egg cup, £4

Hot cross bun recipe

baking

I've never actually made my own hot cross buns before, but always have them over the Easter weekend. This recipe is honestly super easy and they fill the house with the most amazing smell when they are baking. They are ten times better than shop brought buns. Give them a go yourself...

You'll need...
450g strong white flour
50g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
7g fast action yeast
50g butter
150ml milk
4 tbsp water
1large egg
125g mixed dried fruit
Apricot jam

To make...
Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, spices & yeast.
Melt the butter in a microwave and add the milk, water & then the egg. Beat together.
Add the liquid to the flour mixture along with the dried fruit and mix well until it comes together into a dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 mins. Leave the dough to rise in a oiled bowl for
1 ½ hours in a warm place.
The dough should have doubled in size. Knead again for 2 mins then divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Transfer to a greased baking tray and cover with oiled cling-film. Leave to rise again for 30mins.
Make a cross in each buns using a knife and bake them at 220oC for 20 mins or until brown.
Brush them with Apricot jam straight from the oven.


Spotty sandwich platter, £10
Bunny Teatowel, £12
Spring Flowers Oven glove, £12
Watercolour Floral clip jar, £8

All exlusive to Debenhams
Shop online here!