Tickle some tastebuds this Easter!

Vegetarian for Life Roving Chef Claire shares some ideas for luxurious vegan Easter treats.

Easter is an amazing time of year. Traditionally, it is a time to indulge in cheeky chocolate and delicious dinners, either by yourself or with others. By making your treats vegan, you will ensure that everyone can enjoy them and celebrate Easter together.

If you are planning an Easter meal with all the trimmings, and you're looking for more inspiration, then we have a selection of recipes in our Easter Treats booklet. With a wonderful range of spring vegetables available at this time of year, it's the ideal season to pull together the ultimate vegan Easter feast. These dishes are colourful and packed with flavour to light up your Easter table.

It wouldn't be Easter without chocolate! One of my favourite childhood Easter memories was making chocolate truffles with my mum. I've improved the recipe, making it luxuriant and totally vegan. My rich and delectable chocolate truffles have a decadent, roasted hazelnut smothered in dark chocolate. The perfect treat for Easter and all special occasions.

This year, we've added pistachio to our Easter flavours. These luxurious truffles are inspired by Dubai-style chocolate knafeh bars, reimagined as delicious truffles. Featuring a creamy pistachio centre, crispy flakes of golden filo pastry, and a rich dark chocolate shell topped with extra crushed pistachio – the perfect bite-sized indulgence.

Vegan knafeh truffles

Ingredients

For the pistachio filling:

200g/7oz unsalted pistachios, shelled

60g/2oz maple syrup

60g/2oz coconut oil, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract

A pinch of sea salt

For the crispy filo:

140g/5oz filo pastry (3 sheets)

2 tbsp plant-based butter, melted

For chocolate coating:

200g/7oz dark chocolate, melted

30g/1oz unsalted pistachios, chopped for decoration

Instructions

Pistachio filling:

1. In a food processor, blend the pistachios, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt until smooth and spreadable. To ensure the mix is smooth, scrape down the sides during blending. Once smooth, transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Crispy filo:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 340°F/gas mark 3. Roll the filo pastry into a large cigar shape and slice into thin strips about 1mm wide. Carefully separate the strands and place them in a bowl. Toss with the melted plant-based butter until coated.
2. Evenly spread on two lined baking trays and bake for 10–12 minutes until golden and crispy.
3. Allow to cool fully, then crumble into small shards.
4. Stir the crumbled crispy filo into the pistachio mixture and mix well. The mixture should be light and fluffy.

To make the truffles:

1. Shape the mixture into 18 small balls, each approximately 3cm in diameter.
2. Place the balls onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and place in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat gently, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes, until melted. Or melt in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.
4. Once the balls are set, dip and roll them in the melted chocolate. Then place them on the baking sheet again and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
5. Freeze for 5–10 minutes before serving.