By Keighley’s Mike Armstrong, an award-winning master baker with a big passion for baking

THIS year, the Christian Easter holiday falls on Sunday, April 9.

While the central story of Jesus' death and resurrection is likely familiar to those who celebrate, there are a lot of us who might not know about the unique traditions and meaningful symbolism that surround this special Sunday.

Like Christmas and, to some extent, St Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day, a day that started off as a solely religious observation has taken on tons of secular meaning, so plenty of people who aren't regular churchgoers enjoy other aspects of the festivities as well.

Between the adorable bunny rabbits, decorations and copious amounts of chocolate, the celebration has evolved over the years with a whole host of customs both new and old. So this year I was thinking what would be better at Easter than Easter eggs? And what happens when Easter egg meets cheesecake in an outrageous Easter recipe?

This decadent Easter egg cheesecake is not only delicious, but quick and easy to make, being stuffed to the brim in a hollow Easter egg shell with a biscuit base cheesecake filling, and without the need to switch on the oven. It's a great project for the kids, something to make over the Easter weekend in less than 20 minutes, and if an Easter egg wasn't enough of a treat already the hardest part is making sure you don't eat all the eggs before you start!

It's also true to say that Easter chocolate tastes tons better than regular chocolate bars, just ask the Easter bunny!

Did you know the first UK chocolate egg was made by Fry's in 1873 and before that, people would make cardboard versions – or paint hard-boiled eggs if they were lucky? The average time for cracking into your first Easter egg on Easter morning is 11 o'clock, but most will give in to guilty temptation long before the big day with a cream egg or two.

If you are looking for an easy Easter recipe that everyone will love, to round off your Easter lunch in style, you have found it – so grab a spoon and get stuck in!

RECIPE

EASTER EGG CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

1 large Easter egg, halved

15g/ 1/2oz slightly salted butter

85g/3oz digestive biscuits, crusted

200g full fat cream cheese

35g/1.2oz caster sugar

100ml/3.4fl oz double cream

Mini eggs to decorate

Method:

1. Carefully cut the Easter egg in half with a warm knife along the seam and keep one half intact while the other half can be melted if you want a chocolate cheesecake filling.

2. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin in a plastic bag and place them in a bowl along with the melted butter, mix until all the butter is absorbed.

3. Spoon the biscuit mix into the bottom of the half egg, then gently compress taking care not to break the egg.

4. Place the cream cheese, sugar and cream into a bowl and whisk till very stiff and thick, add the cool melted chocolate if using the other half of the egg and fold through.

5. Carefully spoon the filling into the egg, and decorate with drizzled chocolate and mini eggs before placing in the fridge for two hours to set.