Triple-Layer Easter Brownies

✅ 3 reasons why you'll love this recipe:

• 3 layers of Easter awesomeness - a fudgy brownie base underneath a gooey Cadbury Cream Egg and marshmallow mid-layer topped with chocolatey shredded wheat and Cadbury Mini Eggs.
• Prepped and baked in just 40 minutes - proving that a triple-layer bake does not have to be complex or time-consuming.
• A great make-ahead treat - store in an airtight container for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months.

🛒 Ingredients and variations:

• Chocolate - I use half milk and half 70% dark. All milk would be too sickly and I find all dark isn't sweet enough.
• Cadbury Mini Eggs - these are pushed into the Shredded Wheat nest topping. You could use another brand of shelled chocolate egg here or even a different type of chocolate egg.
• Cadbury Cream Eggs - I find the full-sized ones give the best chocolate-to-cream ratio. I avoid the mini-Cream Eggs when making this recipe as it results in a middle layer of solid chocolate, and you can't really taste the cream.
• Marshmallows - fill the gaps between the Cream Eggs and add sweet spongey texture to the middle layer. You can use any plain marshmallows, both mini and large are good. If you use the large ones you will have to tear them into pieces to fill the smaller gaps.
• Shredded Wheat - this is combined with chocolate, unsalted butter and golden syrup to form the nest topping. You could substitute Shredded Wheat for Rice Crispies or Cornflakes if you prefer.

🧑‍🍳 Triple-layer Easter Brownies in 4 easy steps

1. Brownie base

Grease a baking dish and line with greaseproof paper and set the oven to 180°C or 350°F. I use a 21cm/8in x 15cm/6in x 4.5cm/2in baking dish to make this recipe.

Place the chocolate and butter into a bowl and melt in the microwave or over a saucepan of simmering water. You will need a Pyrex bowl if you are using the saucepan method.

Mix the beaten egg, sugar and vanilla essence into the chocolate mix. Then stir in the flour. Pour the brownie mixture into the baking dish and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is set.

Top tip: Use a toothpick (or similar implement) to check the doneness. The toothpick should have a few moist crumbs on it after it is inserted into the baked brownie base. If you see smooth wet mixture on the toothpick the brownie base will need longer in the oven.

2. Shredded Wheat nest topping

Make the Shredded Wheat topping while the brownie base is baking. Simply melt the remaining chocolate, butter and golden syrup in the microwave or in a Pyrex bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir in the crushed Shredded Wheat when the liquid ingredients have fully melted.

3. Cream Egg and marshmallow mid-layer

Cut the Cream Eggs in half vertically and place them on top of the brownie base. You may want to press them in slightly, but don't push them the whole way into the brownie base. The Cream Eggs and marshmallows should form a mid-layer rather than be part of the base layer.

Place the marshmallows into the gaps between the Cream Eggs. You might need to tear them into smaller pieces to fill the smaller spaces.

Put the baking dish back into the oven for 5 more minutes until the marshmallows and cream eggs have melted and merged.

4. Add the shredded wheat and Mini Egg topping and cool

Spoon the Shredded Wheat topping onto the melted mid-layer and press in the Mini Eggs. Leave to set and enjoy.

👍 Top tips for perfect triple-layer Easter brownies

1. Check the doneness of the brownie base - you can use a toothpick or cake tester to check if the brownie base is cooked. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs on it you're good to go, but if the toothpick has wet mixture on it the brownie base needs longer in the oven.
2. Melt the chocolate - butter and golden syrup together when you make the topping - if you melt the chocolate first and then add the butter and golden syrup the mixture may curdle.
3. Use normal-sized Cadbury Cream Eggs - these provide a good cream-to-chocolate ratio. I tried the recipe with the mini-Cream Eggs and found I couldn't really taste the cream and the middle layer was more like solid chocolate.

🙋 FAQs

Can you buy Cadbury Mini Eggs all year round?Cadbury Mini Eggs start appearing in stores in January and are available until Easter. It's likely you'll be able to get hold of them up to a month after Easter, but then they'll disappear. A little disappointing, but I find their seasonal availability and relative scarcity makes them even yummier.

Can you buy Cadbury Mini Eggs in the US?You can buy mini eggs in the United States but they are made by Hershey. You should be able to find them in most stores.

Can I substitute Shredded Wheat for a different cereal?I've only made this recipe with Shredded Wheat but I am sure other cereal types would turn out well as long as you keep the volume the same. You should aim for the cereal to be the main player in the topping with an even but thin covering of chocolate.

📦 Storage

The baked brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. There is no need to keep them in the fridge unless you want to. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Put parchment paper in between to ensure they do not stick together. Defrost in the refrigerator.

😋 Check out my other easy baking recipes

If you enjoyed these triple-layer Easter brownies you should check out my other sweet treats. If you're looking for another Easter bake, try my Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Bars.