Get crafty this Easter season!
Easter is just a hop around the corner. That means friends, family, and of course, Easter eggs! Now, don’t roll your eyes at the thought of those expensive little treats just yet. It is possible to make this Easter fun and enjoyable without breaking the bank! You don’t need to buy overpriced and over-packaged eggs from the shop – instead, have a crack at creating something special from scratch. All you need us some chocolate, moulds, imagination – and patience! We’re bringing the fun back to making Easter with this step-by-step guide to homemade Easter eggs.
How to make homemade Easter eggs
Making some delicious homemade Easter eggs is so easy the Easter Bunny could do it! It’s a great activity to get the kids involved in too. The best part is that you can make them as simple or extravagant as you like. If you feel like dazzling your eggs in coloured lollies, edible glitter and chocolate swirls, go for it! If you’re going for quantity and want to keep it just chocolate, be our guest. You control how you want your eggs. But the outcome will always be the same: delicious, festive chocolate eggs that the whole family can enjoy!
For the basic recipe, there is only one main ingredient – chocolate. But if you want to add some Easter flare to your homemade Easter eggs, then feel free to add whatever you’d like. Consider crushed honeycomb, cookie crumbs, Coco Pops, ground nuts or even a teaspoon of instant coffee as additions to your melted chocolate.
Ingredients
• 200-400g of good-quality cooking chocolate (for 2 medium to large eggs)
• Easter egg moulds (you can easily find them at your local craft or cookware shop, or perhaps borrow some from a friend)
• Saucepan
• Heat-proof bowl (that will fit inside the saucepan)
Now that you’ve gathered the few materials you’ll need, it’s time to make your homemade Easter eggs! Follow these steps for your perfect Easter treat.
Step 1
Break the chocolate into similar-sized small pieces and toss them in the heatproof bowl. Add some water to your saucepan and bring it to a simmer while placing the bowl of chocolate over the water. Be sure to keep the heat as low as possible to avoid seizing or burning the chocolate. Also, make sure the bowl does not touch the simmering water to avoid overheating.
Step 2
Use a ladle or pastry brush to fill the Easter egg mould about a quarter full with the melted chocolate. Ensure the chocolate is spread around the mould evenly by twisting the mould around until the chocolate is evenly spread. Then let the chocolate set for roughly 10 minutes in the fridge.
Step 3
Pour in another dose of chocolate; making sure the next layer also covers the mould evenly. If there’s any excess chocolate pooling at the bottom, dump it back into the bowl or else the homemade Easter eggs won’t set properly. Place the eggs aside again to set in the fridge.
Step 4
Repeat these steps until you achieve your desired egg thickness. If the melted chocolate starts to set as you continue, gently reheat it over the saucepan until it becomes pourable again. Be sure you keep the eggs’ edges clean or else they’ll end up uneven or jagged and you will find it difficult to make the two halves fuse nicely. Now place the mould in the fridge for a few hours to fully set.
Step 5
Oh-so-gently push the underside of the mould or twist the corners slightly to pop out the egg halves. We can’t say the words gently often enough. Gently! You really don’t want to crack your egg. Then, use the remaining melted chocolate to dip one egg half’s open end and stick the other egg half together. Push the two halves firmly together and let set for the final few minutes in the fridge. You can clean any excess chocolate from the seams with a slightly warm sharp knife. If you want to be even more creative, place some treats or a handwritten Easter greeting inside your homemade eggs for a lovely surprise!
Step 6
Now it’s time to decorate. Keep a small amount of melted chocolate in reserve and brush it over your egg in the areas you want to embellish. Then you can go crazy with edible glitter, hundreds and thousands or icing. Remember, you can make them as simple or crazy as you wish!
Easter at The Westport Club
Check out what’s happening at The Westport Club this Easter here.