Description
Create a beautiful and delicious simple chocolate button egg using high-quality dark chocolate and decorative chocolate buttons. This recipe guides you through melting, molding, and assembling a stunning Easter egg with tips for handling and decorating to achieve a professional finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Egg
- 200g good-quality dark chocolate (we used Green & Black’s 82%)
- 25g bag chocolate buttons
- 25g bag white chocolate buttons with speckles
- Ribbon, approximately 50 cm long
- 2 chocolate egg moulds
- Clean flat pastry brush or small paintbrush
Instructions
- Melt the Chocolate: Break the dark chocolate into pieces and gently melt it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Stir continuously until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Remove from heat and allow the chocolate to cool until still runny but not hot.
- First Layer in Moulds: Spoon a quarter of the melted chocolate into one egg mould. Using a flat pastry brush or small paintbrush, spread the chocolate thickly and evenly over the inside of the mould, covering the sides well for easier joining later. Hold the mould up to the light to check the coverage is even. Repeat the process with the second mould.
- Set the Chocolate: Leave the chocolate-lined moulds in a cool place to set initially, then chill them in the fridge for 5 minutes. Do not leave longer to prevent condensation and discoloration.
- Second Layer: Re-warm the remaining chocolate gently and repeat the spreading process to add a second layer inside the moulds. Save about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate for assembling later. Use a knife to clean any excess chocolate from the rim, ensuring a neat, straight edge.
- Unmould the Chocolate Halves: Carefully turn each chocolate half out onto greaseproof paper. Gently pull away the moulds from the chocolate halves to release them without breaking.
- Join the Egg Halves: Place one chocolate half on its back, stabilizing it with a nest of scrunched greaseproof paper. Warm the reserved chocolate again and brush it around the edge of the half. Quickly place the second half on top, pressing gently to join. Brush additional melted chocolate along the seam to seal the join and fill any gaps. Leave the joined egg in a cool place to set firmly.
- Decorate the Egg: Use a paintbrush to dab a small amount of melted chocolate onto the backs of the chocolate buttons. Press these gently onto the chocolate egg for decoration. Once decorated, tie the ribbon around the middle of the egg to conceal the join and add a finishing touch.
Notes
- After a few days, chocolate eggs may develop a mottled appearance called blooming, which is harmless and caused by fat and sugar changes with air temperature.
- You can substitute the dark chocolate for milk or white chocolate, or 70% dark chocolate according to your preference.
- If your hands are warm, wear rubber gloves when handling the chocolate to avoid leaving finger marks, especially when joining the egg halves.
- Do not leave moulds in the fridge too long to prevent condensation which can discolor the chocolate.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: chocolate egg, Easter egg, chocolate buttons, homemade chocolate, chocolate mould, dark chocolate dessert
