Easter Eggs

Easter is a wonderful festival and is actually the most important feast in the Christian liturgical year. But, hardly people are aware of it. Everyone, thinks Christmas as the biggest Christian feast.

Growing up, my mother never really made Easter eggs at home. Nor did we have any Easter bunny hunts. I remember sometimes, my dad used to purchase these ready made Easter eggs from Monginis Cake shop and we used to be so excited to break open the egg to find some candies and small gifts inside them.

This time for Easter I decided to make Easter eggs at home. I wasn't really going to make them in the first place but then after having a chat with my friend, I got motivated to make these eggs. One of my friend's gave me the Easter egg moulds and told me how to prepare them and with some help from my hubby I was able to make these wonderful eggs. Although this is my first attempt at making them, it was lot of fun as the the whole family was involved in making it. I made two types of Easter eggs: Marzipan eggs and Chocolate Walnut eggs. So, here goes the recipe....

Marzipan Eggs:
Makes : 8-10 eggs depending on the size of the mould

Ingredients :

375 gms blanched almonds, finely ground
375 gms confectioners' sugar (also known as icing sugar)
2 tbsp egg white
3 tsp orange extract
Food coloring

Method :

• Combine ground almonds, sugar, egg whites, orange extract in a saucepan.
  
• Cook until the mixture leaves side of the pan.
• Remove from the hot pan, and let it cool for a while.
• Either roll the mixture into small egg shapes or put them in the ready egg shaped moulds
• Paint with food colouring.
• Place them on a wax paper to dry for about 3-4 hours.
• Refrigerate them after they have dried.
  

Chocolate Walnut Eggs: (Makes 20 eggs)

Ingredients :

1/2 cup butter; softened
750 gms powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1/3 cup condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp walnuts roughly chopped (you can use any nuts of your choice)
1 tsp maple extract (you can use any extract of your choice)
For coating them:
1 tbsp butter
250 gms dark or semisweet chocolate (I used Lindt)
Decorations (optional)

Method:

• In a large bowl, beat the beat butter until fluffy.
• Gradually, beat in icing sugar, condensed milk, vanilla essence and salt.
• On a big plate, knead until the dough is smooth.
• Then, add the chopped walnuts and the maple extract and knead again.
• Shape into 20 eggs and refrigerator for about 1 hour or until firm
• In a bowl over hot (not boiling)water, melt chocolate with butter; remove from heat.
• Using two forks, dip 1 egg into chocolate to coat; shake off the excess.
• Repeat the same with the remaining eggs.
• Place them on a waxed paper and at this point you can add decorations to it.
• Refrigerate them until the chocolate is set