Easter Egg Recipes

DECORATIVE EASTER EGG

Steps:

• Directions: Prepare egg and icing according, to the recipe below., EGG: Combine 3 tablespoons of water and 10 drops of yellow food coloring in a small bowl. Mix well. Add sugar and beat for 1 minute or until combined. Set aside., Dust a work surface and the egg mold with cornstarch. Firmly press sugar mixture into each egg half and level the top with an icing knife. Immediately unmold onto prepared work surface. Using, a serrated knife, cut 1-1/4 inches from the small end of each egg half without moving the cut piece away from each egg half. (This will help keep the egg halves intact.) Let pieces stand, uncovered,, for 1-1/2 hours., Using a serrated knife, carefully remove cut pieces and discard. Starting in the center of each half, gently scoop out the sugar, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Discard the removed sugar. , Place egg shells dome side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 200° for 20 minutes or until dried., ICING: In a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and remaining water. Beat on low speed for 7-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. If you are not making your own icing roses, cover icing and set aside. , If you are making your own icing roses, place 1/3 cup of icing in a small bowl and tint purple with red and blue food coloring. Place 3 tablespoons of icing in another small bowl and tint green. Cover and set aside. Leave remaining icing white., DECORATIONS: Grass and lamb: For grass inside egg, place 2 tablespoons of coconut in a plastic bag and add 1-2 drops of green liquid food coloring. Shake until color is evenly distributed., Fill inside of bottom egg half with coconut grass and plastic lamb or a decoration of your choice. Spread a thin layer of white icing around edge of bottom shell and place top shell on bottom shell, with edges matching. , Zigzags: Cut a small hole in the corner, of a pastry or plastic bag. Insert star pastry tip #21 and add white icing. Referring to the photos for position and holding bag at a 45° angle, pipe zig - zags around the seam and window opening., Roses: If you are using store-bought candy roses, refer to photo for position and attach roses to top of egg using a, dab of icing., If you are making icing roses, cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag. Insert round tip #12 and fill with purple, icing. Holding the bag straight up, pipe a dome-shaped mound of icing on the flower nail. See Fig. 1a., With petal tip #103 and purple frosting, hold pastry bag at a 45° angle, wide end of tip down. Turn nail and squeeze bag to form bud as shown in Fig. 1a., Holding pastry bag with narrow end farther away from the rose tip and turning the nail, pipe a row of three standing petals. See Fig. 1b., Pipe a second row of petals, holding the narrow tip end at a greater angle. Repeat for a third row as shown in Fig. 1c., Gently slide the ends of scissors underneath rose and remove it from nail. Referring to photo for position, place rose on top of egg., In same way, make two more roses and add them to top of egg., For leaves, cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag. Insert leaf tip #67 and fill with green frosting. Pipe leaves around roses., FINISHING: Arrange Easter grass on cake plate. Place egg in center of plate. Arrange jelly beans around egg.

PEANUT BUTTER EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter and milk (if needed for moisture) until blended. Shape mixture into two 1/2 pound eggs or make a bunch of smaller eggs. Freeze eggs for 1 hour.
• While the eggs are freezing, cut semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces and place in top of double boiler with shortening. Melt over medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Stick a long-tined fork in top of each peanut butter egg, dip it in melted chocolate to cover then drain on waxed paper. When the eggs are cooled and set, decorate the eggs to suit your fancy.

BUTTER CREAM EASTER EGG CANDIES

Steps:

• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Mix cream cheese and vanilla into creamed butter until smooth; stir in confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is firm, about 2 hours.
• Roll sugar mixture into small egg-shapes; arrange on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours more.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Dip eggs into melted chocolate using a fork or wooden skewer until evenly coated.
• Arrange dipped eggs on the prepared baking sheet; garnish with sprinkles. Allow chocolate to harden, about 30 minutes. Place eggs in paper muffin or candy cups and store in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese. Stir in confectioners' sugar to make a workable dough. For best results, use your hands for mixing.
• Divide the dough into four parts. Leave one of the parts plain. To the second part, mix in peanut butter. Mix coconut into the third part, and cocoa powder into the last part. Roll each type of dough into egg shapes, and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hard, at least an hour.
• Melt chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. If the chocolate seems too thick for coating, stir in a teaspoon of the shortening or oil until it thins to your desired consistency. Dip the chilled candy eggs in chocolate, and return to the waxed paper lined sheet to set. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to harden.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the pudding mixes, butter and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in sugar and peanut butter. Cool slightly. , Shape 1/2 cupfuls into egg shapes. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until set., In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return eggs to waxed paper to set. Decorate with icings and candies as desired. Store in an airtight container.

EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, margarine, cream cheese and vanilla extract. Divide the batter in half and place each half of the batter in a bowl on its own. Stir peanut butter into one of the bowls and coconut into the second.
• Using your hands, mold the dough into egg-shapes and arrange the forms on cookie sheets. Place the eggs in the freezer until frozen.
• Once the eggs have frozen, melt the chocolate and shortening in the top of a double-boiler. Dip the eggs into the chocolate until coated. Place the eggs on wax paper lined cookie sheets and return to the freezer to harden. After the chocolate has hardened the eggs can be kept in the refrigerator.