This is the season for chocolate

Sorry I haven't been here for awhile, I have been so busy making all my Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs. It is a product that just keeps gathering new fans and customers.

I thought I might take a minute to let you know how to go about making your own so that you don't have to buy the ones that are full of wax/parrafin/stretchers/and stuff.

Here goes:

FIRST: Decide what flavor you want the inside to be and what your family and friends really do like (so you won't be stuck with something they don't like). My family loves Peanut Butter and some of us love Coconut.....however some hate coconut so I make fewer of these. Get creative with your flavors there really is no limit to what you can create.

Here is the basic recipe:

4 Cups 10X Powdered Sugar (this is important because this is a finer grind)
1 stick of softened unsalted butter (don't substitue margarine or you will be sorry)
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk (not the sweetened kind, be careful)

If you are making Peanut Butter - add 1/2 Cup of Creamy PB, for coconut add 1 tsp. coconut flavoring and 1/2 cup of coconut, coffee..add 1 TBSP Espresso Powder and Chocolate Mini Chips, Chocolate - you can use 1/4 Cup good cocoa powder or even use my Dove Chef Series chocolate bars melted....this is the best choice, you can add chopped nuts for even more variety. Vanilla - 1 tsp pure vanilla flavoring and if you have some scoop the seeds from a vanilla bean and add it to the mix.

OK Next..... Sift the powdered sugar (don't skip this step), put in large mixer bowl add butter and slowly start the mixer until it is blended, add your flavor choice ingredients and then SLOWLY add the milk until the mixture starts to form a ball on the blades. Depending on the weather this has to be adjusted to make the mixture right. It should be the consistency of a good cookie dough.

Beat for at least 4 minutes to be sure the sugar is completely dissolved and no longer have a gritty texture.

NOW....scoop by the tablespoon full into the palm of your hand and roll until a smooth ball, form one end into a point and the other flat to resemble an egg. You can make them really big, but they are so rich that smaller is really better, but that is totally up to you. If you make them by the tablespoon you should be 12-15 eggs from each batch.

Put them on a cookie sheet that has been lined with either parchment or wax paper and pop in the freezer.

NOW THE FUN PART...choose a really good chocolate and follow directions for melting or tempering. This can be done with a sauce pan with about 2 inches of water topped with a glass bowl that doesn't touch the water and use as a double boiler. You chocolate will stay melted and it will be easier to dip your eggs. Take the eggs out of the freezer a few at a time, spear them with a fork and dip, be sure to let all the excess chocolate fall back into the bowl, place them back on the cookie sheet and top with a pretty flower (you can make these out of royal frosting a day or two ahead). Or use a piece of candy, a nut or whatever you have for decoration.

Let chill in fridge until completely set, slip into a small plastic bag, tye with a pretty ribbon and put them in the baskets. Everyone will love you. I sell mine for $2.00 a piece and they sell quickly.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it is spread over several days and isn't really that difficult.

Can you believe it-Tomato Soup Cupcakes..YUM

I couldn't resist the urge to pass this recipe along. I remember it from my childhood, but never could find a recipe. Thanks to Baking Bites blog, I now can add it to my new recipe file.

Hope you enjoy it. I love making sweet treats from unusual ingredients like tomato soup and sauerkraut and even coco cola. I will keep looking out for these type of fun recipes.

Chocolate Tomato Soup Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup tomato juice/V8 juice/condensed tomato soup
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in spices, cocoa powder, egg, vanilla extract and almond extract until well blended. Stir in half of the flour mixture, followed by the tomato juice, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Mix only until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate).
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Makes 16.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
6-oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 – 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Melt together chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, or until close to room temperature, then stir in the sour cream, salt and vanilla extract. When smooth, blend in (with an electric mixer) about 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Gradually add in remaining confectioners’ sugar until a smooth, spreadable consistency is reached.