Description
A classic Easter candy recipe! These sweet, creamy eggs feature a soft buttercream center enrobed in tempered chocolate and decorated with sprinkles.
Ingredients
225 grams unsalted butter, softened (1 cup / 2 sticks)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
900 grams confectioner’s sugar (2 pounds, or about 7–7.5 cups), plus more as needed
3 tablespoons whole milk, plus more as needed
Flavor oil or extract, to taste
Gel food coloring (optional)
Good-quality chocolate couverture, for tempering and enrobing
Sprinkles, sanding sugar, or additional melted chocolate, for decorating
Instructions
Line a large baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat, and set aside until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip softened butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla extract and salt.
Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and milk, alternating between the two until all sugar is worked into the mixture and a soft dough has formed. If necessary, add a bit more sugar or milk to adjust the consistency. The dough should not be too sticky, or too stiff.
Add your choice of flavor and color. If desired, you can separate the dough into several smaller bowls, rather than making only one flavor. You can also skip the flavoring and make classic vanilla buttercream eggs.
Using your hands, shape the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined tray. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you melt and temper* your chocolate.
When chocolate is ready, remove buttercream centers from the fridge. Working quickly, use an enrobing fork to dip each center in the tempered chocolate and transfer to prepared tray.
Decorate each egg with sprinkles or sanding sugar, or pipe with additional chocolate.
Allow chocolate to set before transferring eggs to an airtight container. Layer eggs between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Store container in the refrigerator, or in a cool/dark place at room temperature, for up to two weeks.
Notes
*See the blog post above for alternatives to tempering. If you don’t want to temper the chocolate, I recommend using candy melts to coat your eggs instead.
Feel free to be creative with your flavorings! Use any extract or flavor oil you desire. Some popular options include maple, cherry, strawberry, coconut, coffee, raspberry, chocolate, or peppermint. Add the flavoring slowly, a few drops at a time, until you have the taste you desire. Other add-ins, such as chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or crushed espresso beans, can also be kneaded into the buttercream dough.
You can use gel food coloring to tint the buttercream, choosing colors to match your flavors (pink for cherry, yellow for lemon, etc.) You can also retain the natural off-white color if you prefer a more natural look.
For best results, use a good-quality (and properly tempered) chocolate. Milk, white, or dark chocolate all work well for this recipe. Or, see my notes in the post above for an alternative to tempering chocolate.
Recipe adapted from WGAL-TV Consumer Corner/The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle, PA. Original recipe dated April 2, 1982.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chilling Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chocolate
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Sweets