No Egg Chocolate Mousse

1 Tbl Cold water
1 tsp Gelatin, un-flavored
2 Tbl Boiling water
1/4 cup Cocoa, unsweetened
½ cup Sugar, white, granulated
1 Tbl Vanilla, pure extract
1 cup Whipping cream

In a one cup measuring cup, place the cold water and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let the gelatin and water stand until it has softened. Stir in the boiling water, with a fork until all is dissolved.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cocoa and the sugar together. Add the vanilla extract and the whipping cream. Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.

Fold in the gelatin and water mixture. Place into serving dishes and chill, for at least 4 hours.


Homemade Easter Eggs

1 Stick butter, salted
2/3 cup Sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp Vanilla, pure, extract
6 cups Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
8 oz Unsweetened chocolate, melted

Eggs
Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the sweetened condensed milk, the pure vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Add two cups of the powdered sugar and beat this mixture, (starting on a low speed) together until throughly blended.

Add two more cups of the powdered sugar and beat with the electric mixer until well blended. You might be able to use your electric mixer, to blend in the remaining sugar, if it is a heavy duty model mixer. If not, remove the bowl from the electric mixer stand and, beat in the remaining sugar, using a wooden spoon. Stirring may be hard, as the mixture might be stiff. Be sure blend in all the powdered sugar.

On a clean flat counter, with clean hands place the mixture from the bowl and knead; to make the mixture into a very smooth, fondant like consistency.

Squeeze off about an amount, of about two tablespoons, of the fondant mixture, and roll it in your hands. Try to form a egg shape, make it a smooth as possible and slightly narrower at one end. (just remember what an egg looks like)

Place each of your egg shapes creations on some wax paper that you have placed on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate the egg shapes, uncovered, for a few hours or even overnight. This will chill the eggs and firm them before you dip them in chocolate. Chilling them also allows the chocolate to adhere to the eggs more readily.

Coating
Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. When chocolate is all melted and smooth, dip the eggs, one at a time. Using a fork, you will need to work quickly. When the egg is all coated, lift it out and allow the excess chocolate to drip off, back into the pot. You might even try giving the egg a slight shake, to remove excess chocolate. Carefully place the chocolate covered egg back onto the same chilled cookie sheet. When you have dipped all of the eggs, place the cookie sheet back into the refrigerator to set the chocolate.

Tip
Different items may be added to the fondant egg mixture to make the eggs even more special. Try some sweetened coconut added to the fondant mixture, to make a coconut cream egg. Or a all time favorite, peanut butter; use about one tablespoon of peanut butter to make a small yolk, and then wrap it in a thin layer of fondant. Shape the fondant mixture around your peanut butter yolk to make a egg shape. Chill, and dip with the chocolate as you did for the other eggs, and then enjoy all your special homemade Easter eggs.


Silky Double Chocolate Pudding

2 Tbl Cocoa, unsweetened, powder
1/3 cup Sugar, white, granulated
1 tsp Coffee, instant, powder
2 Tbl Cornstarch
1/8 tsp Salt

1-3/4 cups Milk, 2%
1 oz Chocolate, semisweet, chopped
1 tsp Vanilla, pure, extract

Combine cocoa, sugar, instant coffee, cornstarch and salt in a large heavy saucepan; and stir. Make sure to combine the ingredients well.

Using a wire whisk, slowly add in the milk. Stirring constantly, over medium heat, bring this mixture to a boil.

Still stirring constantly, with the wire whisk, add in the chopped chocolate. Continue stirring and cook for one minute. Remove the pan with the chocolate mixture from the heat; add in the vanilla extract and stir well.

Pour your silky pudding into individual serving dishes, cover each with plastic wrap, and chill, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

 

1 cup Sugar, white

½ cup Butter, salted

 

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Egg, large

 

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 ½ cups Flour, white

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

 

½ cup chopped, Walnuts or other nuts

1/4 cup Coconut, flaked and sweetened

1 cup Candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (example M&M’s)

1 cup Candy Bar, chopped (example Snickers)

1 ½ cup Marshmallows, mini

½ cup Malted Milk Balls, broken into pieces