Happy Easter! Please enjoy a few favourites from the Wiltse family this Easter weekend
If you are looking for a fun activity with the children or grandchildren, Rossi has shared her family’s “onion skin” Easter egg tradition and a family-favourite recipe for berry trifle.
Grandma Maureen’s Easter Eggs
Great-Grandpa Airey, Grandma Maureen’s father from Halkirk Alberta, taught our family how to make these over 70 years ago. Each of the eight kids in the house when Grandma was growing up got to make their own special Easter eggs. It is a tradition that the whole family still enjoys today – a lot of fun and a wonderful family project.
Please click here for video instructions on how to make eggs naturally dryed with onion skins for this Easter weekend.
Supplies:
• raw eggs
• onion skins (soaked in warm water –makes them easier to work with – try to get all colors: white, yellow & red
• old nylons – knee highs/panty hose, etc. Cut into 5” squares or so, they need to cover egg & skins completely
• straight pins for securing nylon covers, as tight as possible
Instructions:
• Take onions skins and wrap around raw eggs, covering completely (lots of overlapping)
• Place covered eggs in nylon and tighten as much as possible – twisting or whatever it takes, using straight pins to hold secure.
• Place in large pot with cold water with 2 tbs to ¼ cup vinegar to set colour (depending on the number of eggs, if you’re making a dozen use ¼ cup vinegar)
• Bring to a boil & boil gently for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain & remove eggs. Try to remove nylon wrap & onion skins ASAP (carefully, as they are very hot), then place on paper towels or plate to dry and cool.
ENJOY! each and every one will have its own unique design with lots of colours (white, beige, pink-red, rust browns and sometimes green).
Berry Trifle
From Rossi’s mom (Bubba Judy): this would be started on Friday, layered on Saturday and eaten on Sunday for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients:
• 1 lb yellow or white cake (you can make this from a store mix, or buy a pound of cake at the grocery store bakery) in a rectangle shape, like a pound cake
• ½ cup raspberry jam
• 1 ½ cups whipping cream
• 2 cups blueberries & raspberries mixed
• 1 cup strawberries
• ¼ cup sherry
To make custard:
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
• In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, ½ cup of the milk, sugar, and cornstarch
• In a saucepan, heat remaining milk over medium heat until bubbles form, gradually whisk in egg mixture, and stir for about 5 minutes until thickened
• Strain into a bowl, stir in vanilla
• Cover bowl in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours
• Cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices, and spread one side with jam, then cut into
1-inch cubes – set aside
• Whip ½ cup of the whipping cream and fold into custard
• Layer ⅓ of the cake pieces into the bottom of a large glass bowl, 3L is an ideal size
• Sprinkle with about one-third of the sherry, top with one-third of the berries and one-third of the custard – repeat the above step two more times, for 3 layers in total
• Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. Can be refrigerated for up to two days if making ahead
• Whip remaining cream and spread on top just before serving, garnish with berries
Wishing you and your family a lovely Easter weekend!
"The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies." – Kate McGahan