Leftover Easter treats? Turn them into dessert gold with these hacks

From hot cross buns to chocolate eggs, Easter always leaves us with more sweet treats than we know what to do with.

But instead of letting them go to waste, these simple recipes transform your leftovers into crispy, gooey and seriously indulgent new desserts that are just as good, if not better, the second time around.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

Hot Cross Bun Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients

• 8 mozzarella sticks (you can use the string cheese sticks, or cut up mozzarella into sticks)
• 3 fruitless hot cross buns
• ½ cup plain flour
• 2 eggs
• Fruit chutney to serve
• Neutral oil for frying

Method

1. Lightly toast your hot cross buns in the oven, toaster or air fryer to dry them out. Once dry add them to the food processor and blend them into a small crumb. If you find the crumb still a bit damp return it to the oven on a tray to make sure they are fully dry.
2. Whisk the eggs and put them into a small bow.
3. Place the flour in a separate small bowl.
4. Cut the mozzarella sticks into halves so they are bite size pieces.
5. Dip the mozzarella sticks into the flour mix, followed by the egg mix and finally the hot cross bun crumb. Repeat the egg and crumb mix until the cheese is fully coated and then place them in the freezer to harden.
6. Heat the oil to around 180 degrees Celsius. Fry the mozzarella sticks a couple at a time until golden brown.
7. Serve the mozzarella sticks with a fruit chutney.

Mini Hot Cross Bun Cob Loaf With Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 500ml thickened cream
• 500g leftover chocolate Easter eggs (if you have more or less chocolate, just use equal parts cream and chocolate)
• 6 hot cross buns
• Strawberries, marshmallows or banana for dipping

Method

1. To make the chocolate ganache filling, heat the cream in a saucepan on a low heat until warm. Add the chocolate to the cream and stir until completely mixed together and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool in the fridge either overnight or until completely cool.
2. When ready to serve, cut a well in the hot cross buns, reserving the extra to slice into small rectangular fingers. Toast the hot cross buns and the extra hot cross bun fingers in the oven or air fryer until crispy and golden.
3. While they are cooking, whip the ganache with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Put the mixture in a piping bag or zip-lock bag and pipe the ganache inside.
4. To serve, arrange the hot cross bun fingers and strawberries around the hot cross bun and dip them into the mix. Enjoy.

Leftover Easter Egg Bark

Ingredients

• Leftover Easter eggs
• 1 cup salted pretzels
• 1 packet of egg gummy lollies or any type of leftover lollies
• Rainbow sprinkles
• Optional extras – shredded coconut, mixed nuts or freeze-dried berries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Break apart the chocolate Easter eggs and arrange them on the tray, making sure to cover most of the tray. Melt the chocolate in the oven – make sure you keep checking on it as it will melt quickly.
2. Once melted, arrange the pretzels, lollies and sprinkles over the chocolate in whatever pattern you like. Place the tray into the fridge and refrigerate until solid. Break the chocolate up into bite-sized pieces and enjoy.

Easter Egg Chocolate Cups

Ingredients

• Leftover Easter eggs
• Mini Easter eggs
• ½ packet Scotch Finger biscuits or plain sweet biscuits of choice
• 1 punnet fresh raspberries
• 1 jar store-made caramel sauce

Method

1. Prep the underneath side of a clean muffin tray by spraying it with spray oil.
2. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on 30-second blasts until fully melted. Using a pastry brush, the chocolate around the muffin tin, making sure there are no gaps. Put the whole tray in the fridge to cool. You may need to do a second coat of the chocolate to make sure the cup is solid.
3. While the cups are cooling, crush the biscuits in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin or a cup until turned into a fine crumb.
4. Once the cups are fully set, carefully take them off the muffin tray. Fill the cups with the cookie crumb, then load on the mini chocolate eggs and raspberries and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Source