I’m a happy bunny – now, bring on the chocolate
Celebrating the completion of her new flat, Flora Shedden takes time out to create a basketful of home-made Easter eggs for the family before her bakery journey begins
And we are in! It has been a long slog, a huge learning curve and a lot of hard graft. There were ridiculous late-night bickers about grout, 50 shades of white and, ultimately, a lot of James, my boyfriend, having to succumb to my specific wants and wishes (sorry about that). Most importantly, however, making our flat liveable has been a blast. We have had plenty of laughs and a phenomenal amount of help from family, both mothers deserving a big thanks for painting, scrubbing and sanding their way to the finish line. We both feel extremely lucky that this patch of Atholl Street in Dunkeld is ours, but also dead chuffed with the result of three months of intense labour. At this moment I am looking forward to a long nap, a few weeks pottering about in the new kitchen, maybe even a holiday? I am, however, forgetting that now my attention must turn to the bakery. The building warrant is due any day, and yet more work is ready to commence. A lot needs to be done structurally, but I have been told that it’s manageable in a four-week turnaround. ARAN Bakery, then, is planning to open its doors in early June (so long as I can continue the momentum, and keep my eyes open). I am filled with excitement – and complete fear – at the thought of where we are in the process, but as I am rightfully informed by my nearest and dearest: it’s too late now to back out. In the few days I have before the next stage of building work begins, I plan to take some time away from my admin tasks for a chocolate feast. For next weekend I will be making my classic chocolate eggs, now an annual spring activity. My two youngest cousins, aged five and three, adore all things Easter (by which I mean bunnies and chocolate), so this year’s batch of ‘ treat eggs’ has their names on it. Both styles I have shared here do take time to create, but why not spend a leisurely few hours experimenting with cocoa and creating really cracking gifts for everyone to enjoy? These eggs, and the idea of springtime baking in general, have set my mind racing with inspiration for ARAN Bakery: there are so many possibilities of what we can create, how we can decorate, and the ways in which we can package our bakes. I can’t help but imagine what life might be like this time next year, and can’t wait to see what we’ll be making next Easter. For now, though, I’m in need of a recipe to spend time over – and I suspect James is in need of an Easter egg. Happy melting!