Chocolate Filled Eggs, Now That's My Kind Of Chicken

In Paris at Easter time, you can find real eggs filled with chocolate in the specialty stores. Now that is my kind of chicken, especially since boiled eggs are a throwaway for me. It is always fun to put an element of surprise in food. Also, they can be custom filled with milk, dark or flavored chocolate to suit your fancy. I chose my favorite dark chocolate in the smallest egg I could get. It seems egg sizes have gone the way of clothing sizes and Starbucks....large is the new small. So I "blew" the eggs out by poking a hole in them at both ends with a pushpin. I gently enlarged the hole to make it easier to get the egg out and to rinse thoroughly. Then I colored them, let them dry for a few days and finally piped in the glossy dark chocolate. If you like, you can disguise the holes with stickers, royal icing or anything of your choice. Then sit back and delight in the surprised faces as they crack open the prize from the chicken that laid the chocolate egg!
Chocolate Filled Eggs

Per egg:
1 large white egg
2 ounces chocolate of choice
egg dye
rubber gloves
pushpin
pastry bag fitted with a #5 tip
masking tapeMake a hole with a pushpin at both ends of a large white egg. Gently enlarge it by rotating the pin to make a hole 3/16-1/4 inch round. From the smaller top end, blow the egg contents out through the larger end into a bowl. Rinse the inside out well by running water into it at one end, giving a gentle shake, and letting it run out the other end.

Mix desired egg coloring, and color the eggs your choice of colors. I tried coloring the eggs before blowing them out and found most of the coloring washed off, so coloring them afterward is best. Since the eggs are hollow, you'll need to hold them under the colored water until the desired color is reached, or keep rotating them to color evenly. Using rubber gloves keeps your fingers from getting colored. Shake out excess colored water and use a cotton swab to absorb any remaining liquid inside the egg. Let dry fully, inside and out; this can take a day or so.After eggs are completely dry, place a small piece of masking tape securely over the bottom hole of egg before filling with melted chocolate. Melt 2 ounces chocolate per egg. Put broken chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, boil water and turn off heat. Set bowl of chocolate over hot water, making sure water doesn't touch the bowl. Allow chocolate to melt without having the water boil or simmer, as any moisture that gets into the chocolate will cause it to seize or harden. After melting, cool slightly.Place a pastry bag fitted with a #5 tip into a glass with the bag folded over the edge and the tip bent upwards. This will prevent any leaking and allow you to fill the bag easier. Put tip into the top hole of egg and carefully pipe melted chocolate into the egg until filled. Gently shake a little to get rid of any air holes. Setting the eggs upright, let harden at room temperature for a day. If desired, disguise the holes. They are now ready to serve to any unsuspecting chocoholic!
Written and photographed by Diane.

Download recipe Chocolate Filled Egg (pdf)