Easter Egg Recipes

Steps:

• Mix the butter and cream cheese together.
• (I put in the microwave for 30-45 secs. to soften).
• Add the confectionary sugar about 1 cup at a time, along with vanilla, and mix well. (I use my hands).
• Place the mixture in the freezer to chill for at least 20 minutes (You want it firm, but not frozen, so check it from time to time).
• Form the mixture into egg shapes with your hands. (It is helpful to put some confectionary sugar on your hands so the eggs don't stick to them).
• When you are done making the eggs, put them in freezer again for at least 25 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate in a a double boiler.
• Dip the bottom of the egg into the chocolate, then place it on a small flat dish. Take a spoon, and spoon some melted chocolate on top, spreading around with a butter knife. (Make sure you don't get it on too thick, or you won't have enough for the whole batch).
• Arrange the chocolate coated eggs on an aluminum foil paper lined tray.
• When done making eggs, put in the freezer for a few minutes to harden eggs.
• Place each egg in a pastel colored paper cupcake cup.
• Store in the refrigerator, covered with aluminum foil.

Steps:

• For each dye bath combine 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 tsp vinegar and 10 drops of food coloring in a bowl. Start with 5 drops red and 5 drops yellow, for orange for example, or 6 drops blue and 4 drops green for turquoise.
• Dip hard-cooked eggs in dye bath for 3-5 minutes, extend time for richer color. Try using tongs to dip only half an egg in one color, then dip other half in a different color.
• Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove eggs and place on wax paper to dry, blot any excess with a paper towel.
• For tie dyed eggs, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the mixture and stir with a fork. Roll egg gently in bath to pick of streaks of color. Remove egg from bath and blot oil off with a paper towel, then dry on wax paper. Once dry, lightly dip in another color if desired.
• For glitter eggs, brush dried dyed egg with a thin layer of craft glue. Spoon glitter over egg, allow to dry on wax paper. To put glitter on only part of an egg (half blue, half red for example), use masking tape over the un-glittered part (or use stickers for shapes) and once dry remove masking tape and glue/glitter the remaining area.
• For letters, numbers or shapes use small vinyl stickers (office or hardware supplies) and place them on the egg before dying. Once slightly dry peel off stickers gently. You can also use a white crayon to write names or draw pictures.
• If you plan to eat your easter eggs, never leave them unrefrigerated at any point for more than 2 hours.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Tip the butter, sugars and vanilla into a bowl. Beat with a hand-held electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again. Tip in the flour, bicarb and a pinch of salt, then use a spatula to mix together before adding the chocolate chunks and about half the crushed mini eggs (set aside the larger pieces) and mix again until everything is combined.
• Scoop golf-ball-sized mounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, making sure you leave plenty of space between each one. (You should fit 4-6 cookies on each, so you'll have to bake in batches to make the total 20 cookies.) Push the remaining mini egg pieces into the tops. Can be frozen at this point for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before baking. Bake for 15-18 mins, swapping the sheets around halfway through. For soft and chewy cookies, the cookies should be golden around the edges but still pale and soft in the middle. If you prefer a biscuit texture, you will need to bake them a little longer.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack, then bake the second batch. Continue until all the cookies are baked. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

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.