Simple Recipes - How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs at Home

How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs

What better Easter gift than a homemade chocolate Easter egg ?

Yes it is possible to make your own Easter eggs at home. All you need is some chocolate, some Easter egg moulds (not expensive) and a little know-how.

The 3 Golden Rules for Making Homemade Chocolate Easter Eggs

• use the best-quality molding chocolate
• never overheat the chocolate
• never allow steam or water to get into it.

The best chocolate is Belgian couverture with 70% cocoa solids.

Instructions

Heat some water in a pan until it is hot but not boiling
Half-fill a basin with the chocolate
Put basin in the hot water and stir the chocolate until it melts.
[Plain chocolate needs to be heated to approx. 44°C - white chocolate or milk chocolate to approx. 42°C. ]
If you don't have a thermometer - touch the chocolate with the top of your little finger - it should feel warm.

Hold the egg mold in the palm of your hand
Ladle in chocolate until the mold is about one third full.
Tilt the mold in all directions to spread the chocolate over the entire mold, then pour any excess chocolate back into the bowl.
Place the mold upside down on a piece of greaseproof paper
Leave it to dry for approx. 10 minutes.
Repeat the process. You may need to do it 3 times to ensure the chocolate is thick enough.

Put the mold into the fridge until the chocolate solidifies - between 20 minutes and 2 hours depending on your fridge.

Remove the chocolate Easter eggs by turning the mold over and tapping on it or by gently pulling the sides of the mould outwards.
To stick the two halves together dip the edge of one of your homemade chocolate Easter eggs into some molten chocolate and holding it against the other half until it sticks.

So making chocolate Easter eggs is easy ! The kids love them ! Every one loves them and you may even be able to sell a few !

For how to make ice cream see - Ice Cream Makers

Tom and Jerry's Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

You will need an ice cream maker to make this strawberry ice cream. Ice cream makers range in price for $50 to $700 and more. For information on recommended ice cream makers see How to Make Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 pint fresh strawberries, remove all the green bits and chop them up
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Instructions
Mix strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl.
Place in fridge for 1 hour.
Beat eggs until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl, approx. 2 minutes.
Add 3/4 cups sugar gradually, mixing well.
Stir in milk and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Add strawberries with juice and mix thoroughly.
Gently stir in whipping cream until just combined.
Pour into ice cream maker.
Follow manufacturer's instructions on how to use the ice cream maker.

Don't forget to get yourself an ice cream scoop to go with your ice cream maker !
For more Ice Cream Recipes see - Ice Cream Maker

strawberry ice cream recipe ice cream makers

How to Make Ice Cream with Ice Cream Makers

Ice Cream Makers and Ice Cream Recipes

Making ice cream is easy, provided you have the right equipment. The equipment you need to make home made ice cream is, of course, an ice cream maker or ice cream machine. If you like hard work you can get an old manual icecream maker, but if you just want icecream with no fuss then you need a modern electric ice cream maker. Some restaurants and ice cream parlors also have their own restaurant recipes if you prefer.

A recent consumersearch survey lists the best ice cream makers as follows :-

• Best Budget Ice Cream Maker - Cuisinart ICE-20 price around $50

• Best Overall Ice Cream Maker - Musso Lussino - price around $700 - ouch!

• Budget Self-Cooling Ice Cream Maker - Cuisinart ICE-50BC (requires no pre-freezing) - price around $300






• Best Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker - Rival White Mountain 6 Quart F69206-X - this is for people who want to make a lot of ice cream and although it's old fashioned it is still electric - price around $200
  

Other ice cream makers to consider

• Lello 4070 Gelato Junior - price around $190
• Kenwood IM250 1.06 Quart Ice Cream Maker - price around $50

Once you have got your ice cream maker, making the ice cream is, in fact, a piece of cake !
So here are a couple of excellent recipes for you to get started with your home made ice cream making empire ! Is this how Ben and Jerry started ? Or Tom and Jerry ?

Ice Cream Recipes

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream

Rich chocolate ice cream with crushed chocolate mint candies

Makes 10 1/2-cup servings

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup whole milk, chilled
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed chocolate mint candies about 15 mints

Instructions
Mix together the heavy cream, whole milk, chocolate syrup, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until well blended.
Pour into freezer bowl of your ice cream maker.
Switch the machine ON and wait until mixture thickens - approx. 20 - 25 minutes.
Add crushed chocolate mint candies during last 5 - 10 minutes of mixing.
Turn machine OFF.
Transfer to an air tight container.
Place in freezer until firm - about 2 hours.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 279 (74% from fat) · carbo. 15g · prot. 3g · fat 23g· sat. fat 14g · chol. 70mg · sod. 52mg


Pistachio Ice Cream

Makes about 14 1/2-cup servings

Ingredients
1-1/3 cups whole milk, well chilled
1-1/8 cups granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1-1/2 cups shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (plain or lightly salted -- do not use red pistachios)

Instructions
Use a hand held mixer at low speed to mix the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, approx. 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, and almond and vanilla extracts.
Switch the machine on.
Pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and wait until thickened, approx. 20 to 25 minutes. Add the pistachios during the last 5 minutes of freezing.
The texture of the ice cream will be soft and creamy.
For a firmer consistency, trasfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for 2 hours.
Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Calories 332 (69% from fat) • carb. 22g • pro. 5g • fat 26g • sat. fat 13g • chol. 73mg • sod. 32mg • calc. 79mg • fiber 1g

Don't forget that along with your ice cream maker you may also need an ice cream scoop !

For information on How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs see How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs at Home

ice cream recipe ice cream makers

Simple Recipes - How to Make Cupcakes

A Simple Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients 5 oz (150g) softened Butter
5 oz (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
6 oz (175g) self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
For a different taste you can also try maple sugar

Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C).
Line a 12 cake tray, with cup cake papers.
Beat the eggs in a cup lightly with a fork.
Place the ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy.
Pour the mixture into the cake cases.
Cook for 18-20 minutes until they rise and are firm to the touch.
Leave to cool for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack.
Leave to cool completely before icing.
preheated oven. Add your favorite frosting/icing when cool.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

330 g all-purpose/plain flour
18 g baking powder
2 g baking soda
1.6 g salt
130 g unsweetened cocoa powder
90 g butter, softened
600 g white sugar
4 eggs
8 ml vanilla extract
470 ml milk

INSTRUCTIONS
Culinary Princess's Fine Looking Chocolate Cupcake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Line a muffin tray with paper liners.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and salt together.
Set aside.
Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
Stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and milk alternately; beat well.
Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven.
Add your favorite frosting/icing when cool.
cupcakes cupcake recipes chocolate chip cupcakes

How to Make Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes - Simple Cupcake Recipes

Some simple cupcake recipes also known as fairy cake recipes although there are no cups or fairies involved in any of them. But they are very popular, easy to make and taste nice ! Also with the addition of a bit of chocolate you can make chocolate chip cupcakes !

Traditional Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients for 12 cupcakes

125g sugar
2 eggs
125g softened unsalted butter
125g plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of bicarb
Approximately 3 tablespoons of milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 200 C
Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth
Add eggs gradually one by one
Pour in the ingredients except the milk.
Mix well
Slowly add milk until you get a soft consistency
Pour batter into your muffin tray (already lined with muffin cases)
Bake for 15-20 minutes

Icing
Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
3 cups icing sugar / confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

How to make icing:

Combine icing sugar and egg whites in a bowl
Whip until mixture is opaque and shiny
Add lemon juice and continue to whip until absolutely white

Optional: Add rainbow sprinkles.

Serve when icing hardens.

Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients
5 oz (150g) softened Butter
5 oz (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
6 oz (175g) self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2oz (50g) chocolate chips

Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
Line a 12 cake tray, with cup cake papers.
Beat the eggs in a cup lightly with a fork.
Place the ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy.
Pour the mixture into the cake cases.
Add Chocolate Chips and mix thoroughly.
Cook for 18-20 minutes until they rise and are firm to the touch.
Leave to cool for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack.
Leave to cool completely before icing.

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Cake Recipes - How to Make Black Forest Cake

Simple Cake Recipes

Black Forest Gateau aka Black Forest Cake are English names for the Schwarzwald Torte or Schwarzwald Kirschtorte (literally "Black Forest Cherry Cake") - a type of chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream.

Black Forest gateau is several layers of chocolate cake, with cherries and whipped cream between each layer - decorated with extra whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. Traditionally, Kirschwasser - Cherry Brandy - is added but in the USA Black Forest cake is usually made without alcohol. The following is a traditional but simple Black Forest cake recipe.

Ingredients:
265 gms - All-purpose flour
200 ml - Milk
400 gms - Caster sugar
3 Eggs
100 ml - Vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
65 gms - unsweetened Cocoa powder
1 tsp - Vanilla extract
1 tsp - Salt
3 tbsp - Cherry brandy

Filling:
120 ml - Thick whipping cream
120 gms - Caster sugar
1 can - Cherries
1/2 tsp - vanilla extract
1 tbsp - Cherry brandy
A pinch of salt

Topping:
Thick whipped cream, bittersweet chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries

Instructions
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Grease two 9? baking dishes (round) and place to one aside.
Sift together cocoa, flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Add the mixture, plus sugar, salt, milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix together well.
Pour batter into greased baking dishes and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Leave the cakes to cool.
When cool, cut each layer horizontally in half in order to pbtain 4 layers in total
Sprinkle Cherry brandy on the layers.

For the filling, whip the cream to stiff peaks in a bowl.
Add vanilla extract, cherry brandy, sugar and salt.
Mix well.
Spread 1/3rd of the filling onto the first layer of the cake.
Spread 1/3rd of the cherries.
Place a 2nd layer on top of this layer
Repeat for three layers.
Place the 4th layer.
Cover sides and top of cake with whipped cream.
Sprinkle chocolate shavings on sides and top of cake.
Place maraschino cherries on top of the cake.

For an alternative Black Forest Cake Recipe with picture of the beautiful Nigella Lawson see - Black Forest Gateau a la Nigella

For a Simple Cookies Recipe see - How to Make Cookies

For How to Make Ice Cream see - Ice Cream Makers

For How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs see How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs at Home
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Simple Recipes - Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

How to make Cookies? It's Easy!

Cookies aka biscuits in the UK are loved the world over. Perhaps the most loved of all are chocolate chip cookes. The following is an excellent traditional chocolate chip cookies recipe that are crisp on the outside and rich and moist on the inside. Easy to make even if you've never cooked anything before !

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups bread flour
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter over a low heat in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan.
Whisk together the salt, flour, and baking soda in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Pour the butter into a large bowl.
Add the brown sugar and sugar.
Cream the butter and sugar using the whisk at a medium speed.
Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract.
Mix until well combined.
Incorporate flour mixture slowly until combined.
Add chocolate chips and stir.
Chill the dough, then using a scoop put the dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, 6 cookies on each sheet.
Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, check cookies after 5 minutes.
For even browning rotate baking sheet.
Allow to cool.
Store in airtight container.

If you want slightly different chocolate chip cookie recipe see - How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you like strawberry cheesecake take a look at this cheesecake recipe
For How to Make Ice Cream see - Ice Cream Makers

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