I’m sure you’re going to love these fun solid chocolate mini eggs with popping a popping candy centre.
And when I say fun, I really do mean fun. Oodles of fun! Are you ready to be transported back to your 8 year old self?
Pop one of these Chocolate Mini Eggs into your mouth and your first taste sensation is of the gold sugar sprinkles. That’s quickly followed by the deliciously silky tempered milk chocolate. And whilst enjoying the melting sensation of the chocolate, comes the really fun part. The popping candy! The party of fireworks exploding in your mouth is sure to catapult you straight back to your childhood and have you reminisce about the confectionery you enjoyed – of which, if you’re like Mr E and myself, I’m sure popping candy was one of them.
And if you’ve never tried popping candy – what are you waiting for! I’m sure you’ll love it in these mini eggs made with delicious chocolate.
Forgive me for teaching you how to suck eggs (?, I know terrible!), the best way to get the most from the popping candy is to allow the chocolate egg to melt in your mouth rather than chomp on it. Let’s just say that we’ve enjoyed several of these fun eggs which would be perfect for the Easter celebrations, all in the name of experimenting I’m sure you understand! And those which were left a couple of days still had that same great pop sensation as the first ones.
Now, unless you have numerous chocolate moulds to hand it’s pretty likely that you will have some chocolate left over from tempering (it’s near impossible to temper small quantities), so if you’re looking for some recipe ideas to use up your chocolate how about these Double Chocolate Orange Cupcakes where chocolate is used in both the sponge and frosting, or a batch of Chocolate & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies may be more your thing. And let’s not forget about the ever popular Rolo Brownies.
So, here’s how to make Chocolate Mini Eggs with Popping Candy.
Chocolate Mini Eggs with Popping Candy
Ingredients
- 300 g Milk Chocolate or use dark or white chocolate. See notes below for the different tempering temperatures
- Popping Candy We sourced ours from the baking aisle of our local supermarket
- Gold Sprinkles optional
- Edible gold glitter optional
Instructions
- Prepare the chocolate mould. Ensure the chocolate mould is thoroughly clean and dry.
- Prepare to temper the chocolate. Have to hand a tea towel or square of kitchen roll; piping bag (no nozzle required); and a long sharp knife or long pallet knife.
- Begin to temper the chocolate. Break the 300g chocolate into small pieces and place into a heatproof glass bowl. Build a bain marie by suspending the bowl over a pan containing some water, ensuring the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Place the bain marie on the hob over a low – moderate heat. Allow the chocolate to start to melt. Stir the chocolate making a note of the temperature. Melt the milk chocolate to 46℃ / 115℉. Be careful not to take it any higher than this temperature as it could soon seize and become unworkable!
- Cool the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the bain marie and sit it on the tea towel / kitchen roll. Stir the chocolate constantly whilst monitoring the temperature. You’re aiming for it to reduce to 26℃ / 80℉. This will take a number of minutes and will start to thicken as it cools.
- Reheat the chocolate to make it workable. Return the bowl of chocolate to the bain marie. Continue to stir and monitor the temperature. You’re aiming for it to increase to 30℃ / 86℉. The chocolate is now tempered. Remove the bowl from the heat and sit it back on the tea towel / kitchen roll.
- Fill the chocolate moulds. Transfer some of the chocolate into a piping bag. Cut the tip off the piping bag. Pipe some of the tempered chocolate into the moulds so that they are about a third full. Pinch the tip of the piping bag to help prevent dribbles of chocolate getting over the top of the mould. Set the piping bag aside (position it carefully so that the remaining chocolate doesn’t pour out – we found it easier to rest it in a pudding bowl). Use the tip of a teaspoon to scatter some popping candy onto the chocolate (be generous). Aim for most of the popping candy to sit in the centre of the chocolate. Pipe over more chocolate so that the mould is full. Lift the chocolate mould a little way above the work surface and tap it onto the work bench to help remove any air pockets. If necessary use a long sharp knife or pallet knife and run it along the length of the chocolate mould to level the top of each of the eggs (though decorating them with sprinkles helps to disguise any eggs which are less neat.)
- Set aside to firm up. Set the chocolate shells aside until set for at least an hour, avoid putting them in the fridge.
- Turn out. Once the chocolate has completely set it will have shrank very slightly. Turn the chocolate shells out carefully.
- Heat the oven. Turn the oven on. Place a baking tray into the oven. Allow it to get hot.
- Join the egg shells together. Remove the hot tray from the oven. Place one of the solid chocolate egg halves on the hot tray for a second or two so that it melts the base of the chocolate shell a little. Position the shell onto another of the egg halves. Push the two halves together gently to help ‘glue’ them together. Set aside to firm up. Pair up the remaining chocolate halves in the same way. You may need to re-heat the tray during this process.
- Decorate (optional). Pour the gold sprinkles into a small bowl. Melt a little chocolate (about 50g). Pour it into a piping bag fitted with a plain writing nozzle. Pipe melted chocolate around the join area. Roll the egg in the gold sprinkles. Set aside on a plate whilst it sets. Continue with the remaining eggs. Finish with a little edible gold glitter.
Notes
Monika Dabrowski
This is such a fun chocolatey Easter idea, great for adults and children alike:)
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thankyou so much Monika 🙂
Angela x
Corina Blum
These sound so so good. We all love popping candy and I know my children and husband would go crazy for these little eggs. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thabkyou so much Corina,
Angela x
Kate Glutenfreealchemist
Brilliant! So much fun! I remember the very first popping candy coming onto the UK market in my first year at secondary school (and yes, as Jacqueline remembers, it was called Space Dust)….. It was only available in Woolworths and my brother happened to work there, so I got a massive order from my class-mates for Space Dust at discount prices.
Despite being old enough to know better, I still have an excitement for the stuff…. These eggs are fab xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Haha, I can just imagine you & your friends standing together with your packs of popping candy (Space Dust) giggling as it all popped in your mouths! I loved that stuff too – and when I saw some in the sprinkles area down the baking aile I too couldn't resist! … as you say we're old enough to know better but it's just so exciting 😀
Angela x
Kat BakingExplorer
They look so cute and so much fun!!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thankyou Kat, they're loads of fun to eat 🙂
Angela x
Cat | Curly's Cooking
These look so great and loads of fun. Perfect for children and adults too. Great idea x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thankyou Cat 🙂
Angela x
Recipes Made Easy
Oh yes definitely fun.I knew popping candy as Space dust when we were a little girl. I love this idea wish I'd thought of it. Thank you for sharing this fun idea on #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ah! Yes, of course, Space Dust! I'd totally forgotten what it was called! Thankyou so much Jacqui,
Angela x