It may not feel like it right now, but Easter is this weekend. And given that we’re all on lockdown there will be plenty of time to get creative in the kitchen, which means one thing: chocolate. And lots of it. Cadbury Creme Egg has just released its first cookbook, and if you ask us, it couldn’t have been better timed. We’ll be making a batch of Creme Egg fudge and rationing it out with cups of tea over the next week. Well, that’s the plan…

PREPARATION TIME:

15 minutes, plus cooling time

COOKING TIME:

25 minutes

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 60 SQUARES):

300g caster sugar

300ml double cream

100g butter

75g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Cadbury Creme Eggs

METHOD:

Step 1: Line a shallow baking tin measuring 16cm x 24cm with baking parchment.

Step 2: Put the sugar, cream and butter in a large pan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Make sure you don’t leave any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan as this will affect the texture of the fudge, so brush them down with a pastry brush if need be.

Step 3: Turn up the heat and boil for 10 to 15 minutes – stirring regularly to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan – until the fudge reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer. If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, wait until the bubbles become small and even, then spoon a small bit of fudge into a bowl of iced water. If it sets into a soft, pliable ball, it’s ready.

Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla extract. Beat well with a wooden spoon or handheld electric whisk for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens and loses its shine.

Step 5: Pour into the baking tin and leave to cool for about 15 minutes. Cut the Creme Eggs into pieces and lightly press into the top of the fudge, then leave to cool completely. Cut into 2.5cm squares and serve.

From The Cadbury Creme Egg Cookbook (£9.99, HarperCollins), out now

Images: Steve Lee