Homemade Chocolate Easter Eggs

Like any other holidays, Easter is celebrated within US with equal gusto, as it heralds Spring into most parts of the country. However, Easter is always extra special for kids, as they have lots more activities to do compared to some other festivals. Right from Easter bunnies to Easter Egg Hunts, to colorful costumes and flavorful candies, there are tonnes of family activities to engage your tiny tots, the most preferred one being Making Chocolate Eggs! Though its customary to dye egg shells, kids are more excited to make Chocolate eggs which they can relish at the end, rather than make painted eggs. This simple recipe is a great way to start your kids on early in the Easter fun! [photo courtesy of Woman's Day magazine]

How To Make Chocolate Easter Eggs

The basic recipe calls for using baking chocolate and some egg-shaped moulds to make your chocolate eggs - a great way to use up some wholesale chocolate, by the way! Then how you decorate them is all your choice. There are tonnes of edible Easter decorations available in markets today - you can just buy whatever suits your theme and stick them onto your finished eggs. From flowers and birds to simple candy dots and sticklers, you will definitely find something to suit your budget, and your child's fancy. So let your child's imagination run wild, and help them create their edible Easter masterpieces!

Instructions
1. Melt the Chocolate first by placing it into a small bowl which you place inside a larger bowl which has some hot water in it (double-boiler method) Be careful not to get any water into chocolate as this will make the chocolate go wrong and not set properly.

2. While the chocolate is melting clean out the Chocolate Egg mould using a small amount of cotton wool.

3. When the chocolate is melted and has no lumps, pick up the large brush and start painting the inside of the Chocolate Egg moulds. Once you have coated the whole of the inside of the mould with chocolate, place it into the fridge for five minutes. Repeat as many times as you like, forming a thick layer inside the mould. Leave it in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to set firmly.

4. Once set, you can remove the egg from the mould. Place the mould upside-down onto the table and give a gentle tap on the top. Then gently lift the mould and the egg will stay back on the table.

Decorating the Chocolate Eggs
Mix up some royal icing in a pot, add tints of colors to make leaves or flowers, and then fill this into separate icing bags. Use proper icing attachment and pipe your desired shapes onto the chocolate eggs. You can also stick some ready-made edible Easter decorations by sticking them onto the eggs using royal icing as glue.

Caramel Sauce Recipe - With Variations

Caramel is the backbone of caramel sauce, but it�s also ideal for coating nuts, fresh fruit, or the bottom of ramekins for Cr�me Caramel(pictured above) and other caramel-topped desserts. And it can add a touch of sweet and gooey to anything from cakes and tarts to brownies and ice creams. Contrary to what one might think, making Caramel Sauce at home is not too hard. It just needs some patience, and you need to stand hovering above the stove as sugar can go from Caramel to burnt in no time! I fell in love with the Caramel Apples over at Simply Recipes, so I thought I'd give the Basic Caramel Sauce a try. If you are someone who shares the fear of making Caramel at home, I hope this post helps you to don your apron and start cooking. its caramel time! [Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons]

I looked around at a few other Caramel recipes, and the one that worked was a combination from Ina Garten's recipe and the one at Epicurious. I'm also suggesting some delicious variations at the end, because everyone likes some change, and I am sure you will love these variations!

Ingredients
Yields 1 3/4 cup Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla extract

Method
Fill a cup measure halfway with water and put a pastry brush in it; this will be used for washing down the sides of the pan to prevent crystallization.

Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Note: Watch it carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt caramel very quickly. Stand back to avoid splattering, and gradually add the cream and the vanilla extract. Simmer until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.

Serve warm, or add another 1/4 cup of heavy cream and serve at room temperature.

Your basic Caramel Sauce is ready. You can pour it over your choice of dessert and enjoy!

Variations
Cinnamon Caramel Sauce: Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the basic recipe above. This makes for a very flavorful sauce.

Coffee Caramel Sauce: Add 1 Tablespoon of freshly brewed coffee to the basic recipe above and cook as directed. Works great with ice creams and puddings.

Brandy or Bourbon Caramel Sauce: Add 1 Tablespoon brandy or bourbon to the basic recipe above and cook as directed. Perfect for Thanksgiving celebrations!

Orange-Cardamom Caramel Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice with 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Pour through a fine sieve, pressing against the zest to release all the liquid. Stir the strained, reduced orange juice and 4 tsp. ground cardamom into the cooled caramel sauce. A beautiful topping for Coffee Cakes and fruity desserts.

Hope you liked this Caramel Sauce recipe, and the suggested variations. Now go and get your Caramel Apples ready for Halloween this weekend!

For more Holiday inspiration, check out this article on Ideas & Themes for Halloween, and also a list of Easy Halloween Party Recipes

5 Basic Frosting Recipes

As all of you start preparing for Christmas, cookies, cakes and holiday treats become common in every kitchen, and what makes most of these foods really attractive is the icing or frosting that goes on these cakes and cookies to deck them up! I'm not so much of a Frosting person, as I find it really sweet, but festive times call for festive efforts, and I give myself some leeway to dabble with some frosting recipes, trying to create artwork on my holiday desserts! So, to add more color and sweet flavor to your holiday cooking, I thought I'd share with you some Basic Frosting recipes that can be easily modified to suit your style!

Pictured above is one of my first fully-frosted cakes that I decorated in my cake-decorating class. As you can see, it is pretty primitive - it uses Buttercream Frosting in different consistencies. This works best for cakes, along with Chocolate frosting. The Cream cheese frosting is greta for cheese-cakes, cupcakes or smaller desserts, while the Royal icing is preferred for decorating cookies. And now, off to the Frosting Recipes!

Buttercream Frosting
(recipe source - Wilton; Yield - 3 cups)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Chocolate Frosting (Eggless)
(recipe source - Epicurious; Yield - 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a work bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together and gradually add to the butter, beating well after each addition. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until well blended and fluffy.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(recipe source - Kraft Foods; Yield - 2-1/2 cups)
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups (about 16 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after each addition. Adjust sugar quantity to your liking, and beat until light and fluffy.

Royal Icing
(recipe source - Joy of Baking; Yield - 3 cups)
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
Note: This is the best icing for decorating cookies

Vegan Chocolate Frosting
(recipe source - About.com; Yield - 2 cups)
2 cups organic powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) dairy-free soy margarine, softened
1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk or soymilk
3/4 cup unsweetened pure cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium-large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream the powdered sugar with the soy margarine until mixture is thick but well combined. Add the almond milk, cocoa powder and vanilla, and continue to mix until smooth.

These basic frosting recipes can be modified to suit your style and flavor - most of them can be adapted to incorporate your choice of flavor by adding a teaspoonful of essence - coconut, orange, mint, almond are a few nice suggestions, but you can customize these recipes as you choose. Add a tinge of food coloring to make colored frosting, and celebrate the festive holiday season in style! For more tips, here's an article on How to Frost a Cake in 5 Easy Steps!

Related Recipes
Layered chocolate Cake with Fluffy White Frosting
Upside Down Cranberry Cake
Best Banana Cake Recipe

Layered Chocolate Cake with Fluffy White Frosting

When it comes to Layered Cakes, a beautiful layered Chocolate Cake enhanced with fluffy white frosting, and drizzled with some chocolate shavings on the top will never go out of style! Though I love original chocolate cakes with deep dark chocolate buttercream frosting, the white and brown in this recipe creates a wonderful contrast, both, in looks and in flavor. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or a special occasion, Layered Cakes are the best ones ever! Showing off my recent coursework from my cake decoration class, here's a delicious and moist 3-Layered Chocolate Cake with luscious and fluffy White Cream Frosting.

You can use regular White Buttercream Frosting too, but I found this really nice fluffy frosting recipe from a friend that works much better, as it stays soft and fluffy. It compliments the chocolate cake quite well, which is a recipe I adapted from Martha Stewart Living. By using sour cream and hot water, you end up getting a really moist cake with firm texture. This goes to Lorraine for her Best Chocolate Cake challenge!

Ingredients
Good for 3 individual 9" cake layers

For the Cake
16 tbsp (2 sticks) butter , softened
3 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder , sifted
1 tbsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising flour)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups hot water

For the Fluffy White Icing
5 large egg whites
2 cups icing sugar
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup packed chocolate shavings - to garnish the top

Method

Making the Cake
Preheat oven to 350�. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with butter; line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the paper.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar on medium speed, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and vanilla; add to brown sugar mixture in two batches, mixing on medium speed until incorporated. Scrape bowl thoroughly; beat 1 minute on high speed.

Sift together cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; add to brown sugar mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Sift flour. Add 1 cup to batter and beat on low speed until just combined. Add 3/4 cup sour cream to batter; beat on low speed until just combined. Alternate adding flour and sour cream to batter until there's none left. With mixer still running on low, slowly add hot water, beating until just combined.

Scrape bowl thoroughly; beat batter on low speed about 20 seconds. Scrape bowl thoroughly once more, then divide batter evenly among the three pans, about 3 cups per pan. Bake 30 to 33 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Remove from oven. Cool layers in pans about 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to one night before assembling.

Make the Frosting
In large deep bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar. With hand-held mixer, beat until foamy at low speed, about 1 minute. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Beat constantly at low speed until mixture reaches 160F, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and beat frosting at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Assembling the Layered Chocolate Cake
To assemble the cake, level each cake layer by slicing off their tops. Place bottom layer on a serving platter cut side up. Spread 1/2 cup filling on top. Place middle layer cut side down on top of bottom layer. Spread remaining filling on top. Place top layer cut side down on top of middle layer. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting. Top with a few chocolate shavings, reserving half for later. You can even plaster some crushed peanuts or almonds to the side of the cake as I did. Allow to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the frosting sets well.

Transfer the layered Chocolate Cake onto a serving platter, then garnish with the reserved chocolate curls or shavings. Then just grab a fork, dig into the cake, pop it into your mouth, close your eyes and experience a taste of sensuous happiness that very few other things can provide!!:)

Related Recipes:
Mocha Pistachio Brownies
How to Frost a Cake in 5 Easy Steps
Mango Cake with Streusel Topping

Spiced Apple Bread Recipe

Fall is the harvest season, and the markets are flooded with lovely golden Apples, inviting us to cook them, drink them, jam them, or bake them into something delicious! This Spiced Apple Bread is one such treat that exudes the flavors of fall in all its glory. Made with fresh apples and chopped nuts, and flavored mildly with cinnamon and nutmeg, I had as much pleasure baking it, and smelling it as it cooked in the oven, as I had in devouring it like crazy with a dollop of butter and orange marmalade! I have never been too keen about Apple desserts, but I love this Apple Bread, and I know I'll be baking it quite a lot! [img credit: hunnybscakery]

Ingredients
2 cups sweet apples - shredded or chopped finely
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup butter
2 small eggs (or 1.5 large eggs)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

Method
Cream the butter (at room temp) with the sugar, then combine with the oil, eggs, and vanilla and set aside.

In another bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to oil mixture gradually. Finally add the apples and nuts.

Grease one loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake at 325 deg F for about 50 mins (check after 40 mins) till its brown on the outside, appears crusty, and the toothpick test passes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan after switching off the oven, then let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Run a knife under warm tap water, and use this to slice the bread. Store in an air-tight container. Enjoy this delicious Spiced Apple Bread with butter or honey as you celebrate Fall flavors!

Related Recipes:
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Banana Bread
Coconut Pandan Bread

Vanilla Tea Cupcakes

Tea parties are one of the most easiest ways to entertain on a bright summer afternoon. Some crackers or cookies, vanilla cupcakes and a pot full of simmering hot tea or coffee and you are all set to make your friends feel at home and enjoy a quiet afternoon, reliving fond memories. Vanilla is such a universal flavor it can make anything taste better, and cupcakes are one of the simplest contenders! But here, we adapt a simple cupcake recipe for a tea-party by adding some spices and orange zest, and decking them up with a dollop of jam and some sprinkling of powdered sugar. Pulled out of mini-muffin pans and placed on a party platter, these vanilla tea cupcakes will surely make it worth your while!

Ingredients
Makes about 12 mini cupcakes

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp all-spice (or nutmeg, cinnamon,dry ginger and star anise pwd)
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp unsalted butter - softened
4 tbsp confectioners' sugar - to sprinkle on top
4 tbsp jam (raspberry or strawberry works best)

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the spices, and a pinch of salt.

In another bowl, cream together the butter and the granulated sugar, beat in the egg, till its light and fluffy. Add the oil and whisk together.

Slowly combine the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, beating well after each addition. Finally add the vanilla essence and orange zest to the batter.

Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined mini-muffin tins and bake the cupcakes in the middle of an oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Turn the cupcakes out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. Whip up the jam mixture with 4 drops of water. Drop a tiny spoonful on the top of each cupcake. Dust with some confectioner's sugar.

The spices do balance well with the orange zest and vanilla...so there's a little bit of everything without any of it being overpowering..and the jam and sugar on the top makes it worth serving at a party!:) No need for frosting!! Serve these Vanilla Tea Cupcakes at a tea-party and dazzle your friends and guests, just like I'm sending them to Erin's Spring Tea party event!

Similar Recipes:
Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Sauce
Raspberry-filled Molten Cupcakes

Fat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies are cherished by kids and adults alike, and the best part is that you can always use a basic cookie recipe, throw in any of your favorite ingredients into the dough and bake them into something delicious! Whether its a special occasion, a holiday celebration, or just a desire to gaze a a jar full of cookies, these tiny treats are a neat way to watch your calories without giving up your cravings! But ask 10 people what's their favorite cookie recipe and 9 out of those 10 would unsurprisingly say "Chocolate Chip Cookies"!! As a matter of fact, they seem to be my favorites too, and I've been trying to master the recipe for those perfect chocolate-chip cookies which are fat and chewy, rich and gooey, and baked to a golden-brown color. Looks like I have finally found what I sought - this is the best recipe for baking the classic chocolate chip cookies at home. Try it and see for yourself.

I opted for the traditional semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can substitute white, milk chocolate, or peanut butter chips for them in the recipe. I also threw in some raisins as I love them in my cookies. Nuts, M&M's or shredded coconut could be other nice variations.

The recipe below yields about 18-20 medium cookies

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, divided use
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tspn vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until just combined.

Now cover the dough and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This just makes it easier to handle and shape into cookies.

Take a scoop from the dough and use your palms to shape into cookies, then line them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 15 minutes.

Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These chocolate-chip cookies are truly decadent, fat and chewy, just as I like them. They can be stored for about a fortnight in an air-tight container.