Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Homemade Easter Eggs

It’s pretty easy to make your own Easter Eggs at home. As well as being lots of fun, it’s the perfect way to customise them with your favourite confectionery.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time0 minutes
Setting time1 hour
Course: candy
Cuisine: International
Keyword: chocolate, Easter, Edible Gift
Servings: 3 Easter Eggs
Author: Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Equipment

  • Easter egg moulds
  • palettte knife

Ingredients

  • 600 g Chocolate
  • Selection of your preferred confectionery (optional)
  • Ingredients to decorate (optional)

Instructions

  • Ensure the moulds are scrupulously clean and dry and polish the insides with a piece of kitchen paper or cloth.
  • Place about two thirds - 400g (14oz) chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Suspend the bowl over a pan containing some water. Heat gently stirring until the chocolate thas melted and reaches between 45/48°C (113/118°F) for milk and white chocolate and 53/55°C (127/131°F) for dark chocolate.
  • Cool the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the pan and wipe the bottom of the bowl dry. Add the remaining 200g (7oz) chocolate. Stir the chocolate constantly until the additional chocolate has melted and cooled down to 27/28°C (80/82°F) for milk and white chocolate, 28/29°C (82/84°F)for dark chocolate.
  • Return the bowl of chocolate to the pan. Continue to stir and gently reheat  to 29/30°C (84-86°F) for milk and white chocolate, 31/32°C (87/89°F) for dark chocolate. The chocolate is now tempered. Remove the bowl from the heat wiping the bowl dry again
  • Spoon enough chocolate into the mould to fill by about a one-third then tilt the mould until the chocolate has coated all the inside of the mould. Then hold over the bowl of chocolate and tip out excess. Next, use a palette knife to remove the chocolate from the surrounds of the mould. This will neaten the edges of the shells making it easier to join the two halves of the egg together later.
  • Place the coated mould upside down on the work surface of a baking tray for about 5 minutes. Turn upright and allow the chocolate to set. Repeat the process of filling with more chocolate and removing the excess chocolate.
  • Set the chocolate shells aside and allow the chocolate to set for at least an hour, avoid putting them in the fridge. Once the chocolate has completely set it will have shrunk very slightly. loosen the edges of the chocolate buy gently pulling at the moulds. Then turn over and carefully press the chocolate shells out.
  • Heat a baking tray in the oven or a heavy based frying pan on the hob until hot.
    Gently place the matching egg shell on the hot surface for a second or two so that it melts the edge of the chocolate shell a little. At this point you can place a few additional chocolates or sweets inside one egg half before carefully joining up the two halves, holding the egg together whilst the melted chocolate starts to sets and ‘glue’ the two pieces together.
  • Leave the eggs plain or pipe tiny shells of royal icing along the join. Decorate as desired.

Video

Notes

Cook's Tips
  • The 600g (1lb 5oz) of chocolate should be sufficient to make about 3 x  14cm (5½in) Easter eggs. Even if making just one small egg temper at least 300g of chocolate. Anything less makes the process very difficult.
  • Any leftover chocolate can be poured into a piece of baking parchment and left to set and then wrapped up in the paper for use another day.
  • It is a good idea to keep some spare fresh chocolate on hand which can be used as "seed" should you need to retemper the chocolate.
  • Avoid adding heavy confectionery to the inside of the shell as this may break the fragile chocolate shell.   Marshmallow, mini eggs, Malteser chocolate rabbits, treat size chocolate bars are all good for this
  • Reheat the chocolate to the appropriate ‘reheat’ temperature if the unused chocolate starts to thicken before you’ve finished shaping the shells.
  • For a contemporary finish flick or pipe contrasting tempered chocolate over the shell. You could do this either before filling the shells with chocolate allowing to set completely before coating the shells.  Add the main chocolate at a little at a time if you add a large amount it may warm the set chocolate decoration too much causing it to melt. Alternatively decorated the eggs with the contrasting chocolate after assembling.  
  • A pretty idea would be to affix sugar flowers onto the outer casing of the shell with melted chocolate or royal icing. You could pipe the name of the recipient on the shell.
  • You can pop the eggs into the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up the setting but avoid leaving them in the fridge for more than 10 minutes. (see note on storage below)
Store
If the chocolate is correctly tempered the complete eggs should last for a couple of months if wrapped and stored in an airtight container and stored in a cool dry place. Do not store chocolate in the fridge warm air will condense on the cold chocolate causing it to spoil.