EASTER FEAST

Treat your family to SPAR Freshline hot cross buns over the holidays – and taste the difference!

HOT CROSS BUN CHEESE PLATTER

Hot cross buns are delicious with just butter and cheese, but there’s so much more you can do with them! We cut slices for scrumptious Melba-style toast that can be enjoyed as part of a cheese platter with seasonal fruits and something sweet to complement the cinnamon.

Serves 6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

• 12 SPAR Freshline hot cross buns

• 1 tub (250g) SPAR mascarpone

• 250g SPAR Gouda with black pepper

• 1 chunk of mature Cheddar, a wheel of Camembert or wedge of blue cheese

• 1 bunch SPAR Freshline white seedless grapes

• 1 bunch SPAR Freshline red seedless grapes

QUICK RED GRAPE PRESERVE

• 250ml sweet red wine

(or red grape juice)

• 30ml castor sugar

• 15ml olive oil

• 1 strip of orange peel

• 4 black peppercorns

• 1 bay leaf

• 250ml SPAR Freshline red seedless grapes

• a big pinch of sea salt

1 Make the toast Use a sharp bread knife to cut six hot cross buns into thin slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking tray and toast in an oven preheated to 160°C for 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned and crisp. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

2 Prepare the preserve Combine all the ingredients, except for the grapes, in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook until the sauce is reduced and starts to look syrupy. Add the grapes and cook for a few more minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and spoon into a pretty bowl.

3 To serve Arrange your selection of cheeses, grape preserve and fresh grapes on a serving board or platter and serve with the fresh and toasted hot cross buns.

Tips

• If you struggle to slice the fresh buns, first pop them in the freezer for 1 hour.

• To make the preserve using white grapes, simply exchange the red wine for natural sweet white wine or grape juice.

• For a delicious sweet and creamy dip, layer the grape preserve with the mascarpone cheese in a pretty glass bowl.