Egg-static for Easter eggs?

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chocolate or candy melts
• powdered food colour or soft gel food colour and Flo coat, if using candy melts 

Our First step is to Temper our Chocolate:

Tempered chocolate has a shiny, flawless appearance. It feels firm to the touch, snaps when you break it  and has a smooth mouth feel, allowing you to fully appreciate the flavor.

Slowly heating and cooling melted chocolate while stirring puts it into temper. If chocolate is not tempered properly, the cocoa butter crystallization is uncontrolled and uneven, resulting in an unattractive chocolate that is dull or has white streaks running through it. Untempered chocolate may feel uneven or tacky and have a cakey texture. It is more susceptible to heat and humidity, melting more easily and spoiling more quickly. Some simple candy recipes do not require tempered chocolate. However, confections such as truffles, bon bons and chocolate bars require tempering to achieve their signature appearance, taste, and texture.

 For instructions on How to temper chocolate, click here 

Alternatives to tempering chocolate:

If you want to skip the step of tempering chocolate, you can use candy melts/ coating or confectionery coating as an alternative. Melts are usually made of vegetable fats that melt smoothly and set up quickly to a finish that is very similar to tempered chocolate. They may not contain actual chocolate. Although nothing can perfectly duplicate the taste and mouth-feel of tempered chocolate, quality coatings can be a good substitutes especially if you are looking at keeping costs down . They can be cooled and reheated quickly, and as often as necessary, making them super easy to work with!

If using candy melts, melt on a double boiler till smooth and liquid.

Our next step is to colour our Chocolate:

Into the melted chocolate, mix in a bit of powdered edible food colour or if using candy melts mix in half a teaspoon of flo coat followed by a drop or two of soft gel food colouring. Stir until all the colour has been incorporated.

Our third step is to cast our Easter eggs:

Dollop a couple of heaping tablespoons of the tempered chocolate or candy coating into the Easter egg mold and using the back of a spoon spread to form an even shell, lining the mold.  This should be no thinner than 1/4″ thick, so that the egg is sturdy.

Allow the chocolate or melts to bleed over the edges of the mold. Once you have the molds for two sides coated, use a spatula to scrape across the mold to create a completely flat edge. Place the mold in the fridge for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes in the fridge, remove the mold.  Inspect for thin patches of chocolate and dab on melted chocolate to fill any holes or uneven patches. Allow it to set and then pop out the two sides.

Fill one half of the egg with candy and then bring the other half together, sealing the egg with melted chocolate. Wipe of any excess chocolate with a clean finger, so that the edges are smooth. Allow the filled eggs to set for about 10 minutes or so art room temperature.

Decorate with sugar blossoms and wrap in foil or ribbon for a delightful Easter surprise!