How to Make Easter Eggs – Five Ways

Can I just start with a big thank you to Hobbycraft for sponsoring this post! I’m living the dream making chocolate eggs for this blog!

 

For me Easter is all about the chocolate egg. I’m not usually the biggest chocolate fan, but at this time of year I can make an exception. This year instead of stocking up on basic eggs, I’m doing something a little bit special and making ours.

It’s true. You could walk into just about any shop that sells food and buy yourself an egg that would do the job, no matter your budget or dietary needs. But where’s the fun in that? Instead of spending the whole day eating chocolate eggs why not spend some of that time making them? Hopefully it is just as fun, with (a little) less of the sugar (although I’ll be honest, I got through my fair share of chocolate making these).

A few tips before we get started:

1. Heat the chocolate in Pyrex bowls set in a pan of simmering water.
2. Take your time melting the chocolate over a low heat. Once it’s almost all melted remove it from the heat to avoid overheating and turning your silky smooth chocolate into a sticky, lumpy mess.
3. Once it’s melted it will stay liquid for about half an hour (depending on the temperature of your room) but if it does start to harden you can always pop it on the heat again.
4. If your making eggs with little ones transfer the chocolate into smaller pots to make it easier and safer to use. Always make sure the chocolate is not too hot for small hands.
5. Definitely put down a sheet or tablecloth. This gets messy. Some baby wipes are useful to have to hand as well.
6. The freezer is your new best friend.

You’ll need:

• Chocolate egg moulds
• Chocolate
• Candy Melts
• Icing plunger cutters
• Food colouring
• Ready roll icing
• Fondant mat

 

Making a Chocolate Egg

To make a basic chocolate egg spoon melted chocolate into the mould, tipping as you go until you’ve covered the inside of the mould. Turn the mould onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper so it is face down on the flat side. Put this into the freezer for 15 minutes.

Repeat this process 2-3 times until the shell of the egg is thick enough to pop out of the mould.

Carefully let the air into the mould from the sides. Gently press out the chocolate from the mould.

When you have two halves use melted chocolate the secure them together. Leave to set.

Large Brush Stroke Egg

Heat the white candy melts in a bowl. You can create any colour brush strokes by either leaving the chocolate white or adding food colouring. The colours are highly concentrated so you only need to add a tiny amount. Add in small doses until you get the right colour. And remember you can mix these to create more colours.

Using a paint brush dipped into the melted chocolate, brush strokes onto the inside of the mould. Put the mould into the freezer until the chocolate has set. While that is setting melt chocolate for the rest of the egg. Take this off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes before pouring into the mould so you don’t melt the brushstrokes.

Large Splatter Egg

Heat the candy melts then when melted add a little to a ramekin or small dish. Pour in a little coconut oil (vegetable oil will do the same thing) to create a thinner consistency. Add in a tiny amount of food colouring for colour, then take your paint brush, dip it into the chocolate and tap the side of your mould to create a splatter pattern. Set in the freezer. If you want to add more colours just repeat the steps as many times as you need.

Streaky Eggs

After melting the candy melts I drizzled the chocolate over the mould from side to side with a spoon. After setting them in the freezer adding the rest of the chocolate to the mould.

Floral Eggs

Make a plain egg using the instructions near the beginning of this post. Add food colouring to icing sugar and roll out using the thinnest setting on the rolling pin. Cut out small flowers using the flower plunger mould. Brush a little water onto each flower and press onto the egg.

Filled Eggs

You can use this technique on any of the eggs above. If you know someone who loves chocolate this is going to blow their minds! Once you’ve coated the inside two times add another layer of chocolate and sprinkle in chocolate chips for the ultimate indulgence.

Do you remember when you used to get easter eggs with chocolates inside of them? Call me nostalgic, but I’ve always really missed this. So I’m bringing it back using the smaller egg moulds that come in the pack.

You can use the techniques above to make the little eggs but I really love the marbled effect on these smaller ones. Leave your melted chocolate to cool for about 15 minutes. Then pour dark, milk and white chocolate into a bowl and very lightly swirl together. The point is to see each colour clearly rather than mix them together. Spoon the mixture into the egg moulds and leave to set in the freezer.

Now you’ve made some beautiful eggs you’ll want to show them off a bit! Hobbycraft have a great range of baskets and Easter decorations to display them proudly! And hopefully slow down the eating… ok, maybe not!