Easter is an important feast for Christians and the tradition of easter eggs goes back a really long time. However, the tradition of chocolate eggs is comparatively new. The eggs, as per the ancient mythology, used to represent the creation of the world and symbolized life and death to all the races. The advent of spring was the herald of new life and eggs were a symbolic representation of the Resurrection of Jesus. In Mesopotamia, Christian children used to stain the eggs in red in the memory of the Christ blood. Similarly, the green and yellow coloured eggs gained popularity with time.
Eggs have always been a symbol of new life, fertility, rebirth and spring’s brightness but making them in chocolate reportedly gained popularity in France and Germany somewhere around the early 1800s. Originally made up of dark chocolate and some other solid, these were filled with sugared almonds and other sweets. In 1905, Cadbury started making chocolate eggs and slowly, these became an Easter thing. With the years passed, chocolate eggs gained massive popularity and became an indominable part of Easter feast.
This Easter, make these chocolate eggs at home with these easy steps. Thank us later!
Ingredients
- 1 lb dark or milk chocolate
- Egg moulds
Method
- In a double boiler, add ¾th of the grated chocolate and melt it.
- With the help of a candy thermometer, remove the chocolate from the heat when it reaches 118 degrees F for dark chocolate and stir.
- Add in the remaining grated chocolate and stir until it is smooth.
- When the chocolate reaches the stage of 90 degrees F for dark chocolate, it is ready to use.
- Take a pastry brush and paint the egg mould with the chocolate mixture. Do until the chocolate fully and evenly covers the mould.
- Let it chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 minutes. Now, brush the mould again with chocolate mixture and chill again.
- Now, once again brush the moulds with chocolate mixture and chill for 15 minutes.
- You can drizzle white chocolate mixture on the mould to give a fine marbled effect, but this is totally optional.
- When done, unmould the eggs and using a knife, start cleaning up the edges. Scrap away the stray chocolate bits and don’t leave finger marks on the eggs. One can use gloves for the same.
- Now, brush the edges with a little melted chocolate and seal both halves together. Make sure that the melted chocolate works like glue.
- If you want, you can stuff your eggs with sugared almonds or any other thing that you like.
- Seal the eggs and let them set in refrigerator for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
- The easter chocolate eggs are ready!!