Puratos (Buckingham, Bucks) recently ran a series of focus groups, looking at what consumers want and expect from their local baker this Easter, and found significant demand exists for simple goods that deliver a more indulgent eating experience.

“According to the consumers we spoke to, there is a strong desire for ‘wickedly indulgent’ cakes, muffins and tarts, where luxury, pleasure and taste are everything,” says Matt Crumpton, Puratos’s marketing director. “And the majority of those we spoke to said that they would happily pay more for those products.”

Visitors to the Puratos website (www.puratos.co.uk) can download Easter-themed recipes. The company says these show how, with a few additions to a basic mix, bakers can create luxury products such as chocolate nest muffins.