entertain the kids

Spend time with the kids in the kitchen making these fun bakes recipes

- CASSIE BEST & LIBERTY MENDEZ

Rocky road cheesecake bars

Here’s a good way to use up some of those leftover mini Easter eggs – if you’ve got any left, that is.

CUTS INTO 16 squares PREP 30 mins plus at least 2 hrs chilling and cooling COOK 10 mins EASY

175g butter 200g dark chocolate, broken into chunks 3 tbsp golden syrup 250g plain biscuits (such as digestive or rich tea) 50g dried fruit (such as raisins, dried apricots or dried cranberries) 25g mixed nuts, chopped (optional; you could use popcorn or extra biscuits, if you like) 50g mini marshmallows 2 gelatine leaves 50ml double cream 350g soft cheese 100g caster sugar 100g mini chocolate eggs

1 Line a 20 x 20cm tin with baking parchment and set aside. Put the butter, 175g of the dark chocolate and the golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat. Melt, stirring occasionally until smooth.

2 Meanwhile, tip the biscuits into a bowl and crush with the end of a rolling pin until roughly broken up – you should have some fine, dusty pieces and some larger ones. Add the fruit, nuts (if using) and marshmallows, then pour over the melted chocolate mixture and stir until everything is coated. Tip into the prepared tin and press into an even layer using the back of a spoon. Chill for at least 1 hr.

3 Put the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water and leave to soften for 5 mins. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small pan over a low heat until steaming. Squeeze as much water from the gelatine as possible, then drop into the cream, swirling the pan to help the gelatine dissolve. Leave to cool for 10 mins.