Wednesday, March 28, 2012

"No one will admit to how many they've had!"

I thought this an appropriate card for todays blog because it's that time of year again when our family gets together to make Easter candy - and when it comes to chocolate - I have no will power at all!

Each year I try something new along with the old favorites.  Last week I made the centers of the favorites  - peanut butter and coconut cream eggs,  and we got together Sunday for dipping them in the chocolate.  I've not gotten to the new one yet!  My favorite of all candy is Asher's Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Squares and this year I'm going to make my own marshmallow and dip them in chocolate.

I saw Martha Stewart making marshmallow last year on a program and it seemed simple enough - of course it's even simpler to just purchase a box of Ashers and enjoy them - but at $11.99 a pound, I am willing to put in the time and try it!

The eggs I made are very tasty - I usually open a fresh coconut and grind it,  but I've put that behind me since my  thumbs have been hurting me much the past year.  I purchased the packaged coconut and made it finer in a food processor.  The recipe is my own and it's very simple - 21 ounces of packaged coconut, an 8 ounce package of reduced fat cream cheese and 1 and  1/4 cups of confectionery sugar, plus 1 tsp each of almond and vanilla extract.  Blend well with your hands and form into egg shapes - (it makes 40) and chill in the fridge til it's time to dip them into dark chocolate to which some wax has been added for firm them. The was can be found in the canning section of your supermarket.  Since there is cream cheese in the coconut eggs  I keep them in the downstairs fridge - but that doesn't stop me from making a few trips a day to sample them again!

The peanut butter is also simple - I use a 1 pound jar of Jif, chunky is best,  4 cups of confectionary sugar and 1 tsp each of almond and vanilla extracts (I love the combination of the two) Mix by hand and knead together, form into egg shapes and refrigerate til you dip them.  For dipping, I melt 3 bags of Giardelli dark chocolate bits with  some wax to thin out the chocolate in a double boiler and stick a toothpick in one end of the egg and dip. 

the kardlady

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