Easter food can be conventional with the likes of chocolate, lamb and spiced bakes often taking centre stage.

While we love the familiarity of these favourites, why not create a talking point around the dinner table by serving some showstopping twists on tradition?

Opies have come up with easy ways to enhance an Easter menu: from upgrading traditional Easter ingredients to recipes that take inspiration from international classics.

Ginger hot cross bun trifle

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 8 hot cross buns
• 1 jar Opies Stem Ginger in Syrup
• 75ml Disaronno
• 600ml double cream
• 800g chocolate custard
• 250g salted caramel
• 50g chocolate chips or chocolate stars, to decorate

Method

1. Split the hot cross buns then toast until golden. Cut each half into quarters and line in the bottom of a trifle dish.
2. Finely dice 2-3 balls of stem ginger and scatter over the top, then pour over half the syrup from a jar of Opies Stem Ginger followed by the Disaronno.
3. Beat the double cream until very thick, then spread over a layer of double cream followed by a layer of chocolate custard. Repeat the order then add the salted caramel, reserving a tablespoon or two for the topping.
4. Finely dice another 2-3 balls of stem ginger and scatter over the salted caramel.
5. Place the remaining double cream into a piping bag and pipe over the final layer of double cream. Drizzle over the remaining salted caramel followed by the chocolate chips or stars.

Opies’ Stem Ginger in Syrup is available from Tesco (350g from £2.90) and Asda (280g from £2.40)

Easter bunny cupcakes

Makes 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 125g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g Opies Cocktail Cherries, chopped

For the buttercream icing:

• 150g unsalted butter, diced
• 300g icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

To decorate:

• Pink decorating sugar
• 16 white marshmallows
• 32 edible eyes
• 16 white mini marshmallows, halved widthways
• 8 Opies Cocktail Cherries, halved

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C/Fan 170/375F/Gas Mark 5 and divide 16 paper cases between two muffin tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, then gradually add in the eggs until thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cherries and divide the mixture between the cases. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. Meanwhile make the buttercream. Place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl or stand mixer and beat well until light and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt and give one final stir.
5. Pipe icing over the cupcakes, then halve the larger white marshmallows at a diagonal angle. Empty the pink decorating sugar into a shallow dish, then dip the cut-side of each marshmallow into the sugar so the cut edge gets a good coating.
6. Position two marshmallow halves upright per cake to make the bunny ears.
7. Pop two edible eyes into position, then lightly press a cocktail cherry half into the icing for the nose and finally two white marshmallow halves underneath for the mouth.

Opies Cocktail Cherries are available from all major supermarkets 225g from £1.50.