IF like us you’re still making your way through the traditional bun and cheese, you might wish to get super-creative and add several new twists.

Buoyed by our friends at The Hilton Kingston and aided by the outstanding talents of executive sous-chef Peter Herrmann and pastry chef Robert Bonner, we’d like to encourage you to spread your own magnificent Easter bun table and, if you’re in the mood, roll up those sleeves and do a little baking. It’s super-quick, simple and delicious.

What’s on the Hilton’s Easter table?

. Easter bun as roulade filled with vanilla cream

. Easter bun as checker cake in layers with cream cheese and jam

. Crisp basket filled with fruits and whipped cream

. Buns canapé style with piped cheese, kiwi slices, cream cheese and strawberries.

. Coconut toto, bulla cake, cassava pudding and rice fritters

. Strawberries, grapes, pineapple and raisins

. Platter of assorted cheeses

. Basket of coloured eggs.

. A long-eared chocolate Easter bunny

Jamaica Easter Bun

Ingredients:

1lb of brown sugar

1lb 12oz of flour

1 tablespoon of yeast

31/2 cups of milk

6oz of butter or margarine

1lb of mixed fruits (raisins, prunes and mixed candied peel)

4oz of grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs

11/2 tablespoon of spice (cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice)

2 tablespoons of vanilla

Method:

Grease pans (12 X4) and flour sides. Sift flour in a bowl. Cream yeast with a tablespoon of sugar and add milk. Add liquid to 8 ounces of flour, stirring to make a smooth batter. Set aside and cover for one hour or until double in size. Rub margarine into remaining flour, mix fruits with dry ingredients. When yeast mixture has doubled, add to dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Divide batter into three portions and place in pans (12 x 4). Allow batter to proof for about 30 minutes. Bake at 400oF for about 10 minutes. Reduce to 32ºF. Bake until done for about 45 minutes to one hour.

Makes 3 Easter buns.

Sweet Rice Fritters

Ingredients

4 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup butter

1 lemon and 1 orange, zested

3/4 cup Arborio rice (or white rice)

2 tablespoons Italian dessert wine (Chef recommends Vin Santo)

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/4 cup raisins, plumped in hot water for 15 minutes, then drained

3/4 gram all-purpose flour

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

powdered sugar, for garnish

Method:

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the milk, half the sugar, a inch of salt, the butter and the fruit zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add the rice and let cook over a medium flame until the rice is almost completely cooked and has absorbed the milk. Remove from the heat and let the rice mixture cool at room temperature. When the rice has cooled, add the wine, the egg yolks, baking soda, raisins and flour and stir until combined.

Set aside. In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. When the oil is bubbling, scoop individual tablespoonfuls of the fritters mixture and add to the oil. Fry the fritters in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry each spoonful of batter until light golden brown on each side (roughly five minutes). Remove from the heat and let drain on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb grease. Dredge each finished fritter through the remaining sugar. Sprinkle with a little salt and powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Coconut Toto

Ingredients:

1/4 lb butter

3 cups of flour

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp of vanilla

3 tsps of baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 cups grated coconut

1 cup Evaporated milk

Method:

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add flour mixture and coconut to butter and sugar mixture alternately with Evaporated milk. Spread evenly in greased shallow baking tin 8×12. Bake at 400oF about 30 minutes