Make-Your-Own Hollow Chocolate Eggs

Recipe

18 plastic Easter eggs
Chocolate wafer melts
Oil-based flavors like coffee, vanilla, hazelnut or cinnamon

1. Clean 18 plastic eggs in soapy water; rinse and allow them to dry completely.
2. Spray inside of eggs with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Place 8 oz chocolate wafers into a microwaveable container and heat on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir and return to microwave for 15 second intervals as needed to melt chocolate. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.
4. Place 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp chocolate into the bottom half of one egg. Close the egg ensuring the two halves are secure.
5. Swirl chocolate to coat inside of the egg for 30 seconds until coating has hardened.
6. Repeat with remaining eggs.
7. Open eggs and carefully release the eggs from the plastic surrounds.
8. If desired, you can fill the eggs with your choice of filling (see below for peanut butter and fruit filling recipes). Poke a tiny hole in the bottom of the egg. Fill a resealable plastic bag with filling and snip a tinier hole in the bottom corner of the bag. Place the corner of the bag inside the hole in the egg and squeeze the flavorful filling into the egg. Let the filling set.
9. Use a paintbrush to cover the hole in the bottom of the egg.

Peanut butter filling
Thoroughly mix 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 3/4 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Squeeze into chocolate egg.
Fruit filling
Melt 1 cup of chocolate wafers in the microwave following recipe directions. Beat 8 oz cream cheese until smooth and add the melted chocolate, 1/2 cup of seedless jam and 1 tbsp of matching fruity liqueur. Beat until blended. Squeeze into chocolate egg.

Cheesecake-Filled Chocolate Easter Egg Cups

(Makes 6-8 regular sized Easter egg cheesecakes, you may need to adjust the amount of cheesecake filling depending on the size of your eggs)

6-8 hollow chocolate Easter egg shells
5 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup icing sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup thickened/heavy whipping cream
For the 'yolk': 1 passion fruit, 1 tbsp apricot jam, 1 tbsp (about 15g) unsalted butter (passionfruit juice can be replaced with about 2 tsp of freshly squeezed orange, mandarin juice or mango, peach nectar, you can adjust the amount of juice to taste), alternatively you can substitute with any fruit curd you prefer.

Using a small serrated knife, carefully remove the tops of the chocolate eggs.

Place the eggs in the fridge to keep them chilled while you prepare the cheesecake filling, you can use egg cups or your fridge egg holder.

Place the cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat on high until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Set aside and carefully whip the thickened cream in a separate mixing bowl to stiff peaks (watch it closely as thickened cream is very easy to over-whip and split).

Using a whisk, gently combine the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it is smooth.

Carefully spoon or pipe the mixture into the prepared chocolate shells. Chill eggs for at least 30 minutes to allow it to set.

 

 

Prepare the passion fruit sauce; strain passion fruit pulp to remove the seeds and place in a small saucepan with the apricot jam and butter. 

 

Gently heat on low, whisking until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. (If your apricot jam is chunky you should strain the sauce at this point) 

 

Place in the fridge and chill until it thickens slightly. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out a hole in the centre of each cheesecake, about 1 cm deep and wide. 

 

Fill hole with some of the chilled passion fruit sauce and return the eggs to the fridge to chill again for at least 30 mins. 

 

Remove eggs from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving. 

 

Can be made 2-3 days in advance, keep eggs in the fridge in a holder inside an airtight container or covered tightly with clingfilm to stop them drying out.

No-Bake, Teacup Treats

Ingredients:

• Vanilla sandwich cookie wafers
• Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups
• Ice cream sugar cones (top 1-1/2 inch)
• Circle pretzels (found in Chex Mix Sweet 'n Salty Honey Nut mix)
• Chocolate frosting (chocolate pudding, chocolate ganache, etc.)
• Chocolate or vanilla candy melts

 

 

Step one

Cut the sugar cones to 1-1/2 inches. To avoid breaking them, dip the bottoms in warm water for 20 seconds. Using a serrated knife, trim off where the wet area meets the dry. Allow these to dry completely before assembling.

Step two

Separate the cookie wafers and clean off filling.

Step three

Trim off one small piece of the circle pretzels to create two handle points.

Step four

Melt two ounces of chocolate or vanilla candy melts in a zip-top bag in the microwave (twice for 30 seconds usually does the trick).

Step five

Snip off the corner of the zip-top bag and dab a little candy melt in the center of the cookie wafers.

Step six

Place unwrapped Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups on top of the candy melt on the cookie wafers.

Step seven

Place the cut ice cream cones on top of the Reese's cups.

Step eight

Pipe more of the candy melt inside the ice cream cones, where the edge meets the Reese's cup.

Step nine

Pipe frosting, pudding or ganache inside the ice cream cones.

Step ten

Add a dab of candy melt to the cut off edges of the circle pretzels and attach them to the sides of the ice cream cones. You may need to hold them in place for a few seconds until the candy melt holds firmly and stays in place.

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

• 1 recipe chocolate cupcakes (recipe below)
• 1 13 oz. jar Nutella
• 15 Ferrero Rocher candies

Cut out a small piece out of the top of the cooled cupcake using a small paring knife. Discard or eat the small pieces of cake that are removed from the cupcakes. This will create a well for the Nutella to sit in.

Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon of Nutella. Repeat until the Nutella has been evenly divided amongst the cupcakes. Top off each cupcake with a Ferrero Rocher candy, slighting pressing into the Nutella so it stays put.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Makes 15 cupcakes.