C is for Chocolate

Why does everything we love about spring start with the letter “c”? First there is celebration…whether it’s Easter or Passover, these holidays of rebirth and renewal put us in a spring-time mood. Of course there are children…who better to do all that celebrating with? And finally there is chocolate…always the best way to celebrate anything at all!
So open your own candy shop and become an at-home confectionary whiz with these two super-easy recipes.

Chocolate Fudge Easter Eggs

• 1 – 350 g package of fudge sandwich cookies (we like No-Name Mr. Fudgees because they are nut-free)
• 1 – 250 g brick of room temperature cream cheese
• 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• 4 oz of white baking chocolate (not white chocolate chips)
• 4 oz of semi sweet baking chocolate (not chocolate chips)

1. Put the cookies in a food processor and blend until the consistency of coffee grinds
2. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and blend until the mixture forms a uniform ball
3. Remove the dough onto a clean surface and shape teaspoonfuls into egg shapes (the dough will not be sticky so this isn’t too messy and will be a great activity for kids)
4. Put eggs onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes or the refrigerator for 60 minutes until eggs are cold to the touch and firm
5. Melt chocolate in separate bowls in the microwave set at 50% power for 30 second increments until chocolate is melting. Watch chocolate carefully as it burns easily (white chocolate especially). Remove from microwave and stir chocolate until smooth. Alternatively, melt each type of chocolate in its own glass bowl over a pot of simmering water.
6. Using long skewers, dip the eggs into the melted white chocolate until the egg is two-thirds covered. Remove from skewer onto the cookie sheet by pushing with a fork. The cold egg will make the chocolate harden very quickly. Using your fingers to hold the egg, dip the uncovered part of the egg into the semi-sweet chocolate.
7. Store in the refrigerator.