Chocolate Toffee Easter Eggs Food

CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar and mix well. Stir in coconut and nuts. , Turn peanut butter mixture onto a surface lightly dusted with some of the remaining confectioners' sugar; knead in enough of the remaining confectioners' sugar until mixture holds its shape when formed. Shape into small egg-shaped pieces. Cover and chill for 1 hour. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Chill.

CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese. Stir in confectioners' sugar to make a workable dough. For best results, use your hands for mixing.
• Divide the dough into four parts. Leave one of the parts plain. To the second part, mix in peanut butter. Mix coconut into the third part, and cocoa powder into the last part. Roll each type of dough into egg shapes, and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hard, at least an hour.
• Melt chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. If the chocolate seems too thick for coating, stir in a teaspoon of the shortening or oil until it thins to your desired consistency. Dip the chilled candy eggs in chocolate, and return to the waxed paper lined sheet to set. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to harden.

CHOCOLATE-TOFFEE EASTER EGGS

Steps:

• Make chocolate shells:
• Using rubber spatula, stir chocolate in large metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until smooth and candy thermometer registers 115°F. (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Remove from over water.
• Place 1 tray of large egg molds on work surface; if necessary, place folded dish towel under tray to level. Spoon chocolate into egg molds, filling completely (do not fill embossed mold). Quickly invert tray over bowl of chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drop into bowl. Shake tray gently to produce uniformly thick chocolate shells. Run fingertip around edges of shells to remove excess chocolate. Chill tray.
• Set bowl of chocolate back over simmering water and re-warm to 115°F., stirring frequently. Repeat coating and chilling process with remaining trays of egg molds, rewarming chocolate over simmering water to 115°F. after coating molds in each tray. Reserve remaining chocolate at room temperature in bowl for use in filling and assembly.
• Make chocolate-toffee filling:
• Stir cream and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat. Add 1 2/3 cups reserved melted chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla; fold in toffee bits. Let stand at room temperature until cool and slightly thick but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Spoon enough filling into each chilled chocolate shell to come within 1/8 inch of top edge, about 6 tablespoons for large chocolate shells and 3 tablespoons for small chocolate shells. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours.
• Rewarm remaining chocolate in bowl over simmering water until thermometer registers 115°F., stirring frequently. Remove from over water. Quickly spoon enough melted chocolate over filling in each shell just to fill. Using offset spatula, spread chocolate over filling to seal to edges, scrape off excess chocolate and level top. Refrigerate all trays until top layer of chocolate is very firm, at least 2 hours. Reserve remaining chocolate at room temperature in bowl.
• Place large sheet of foil on work surface. Turn 1 tray over just above foil. Twist and bend tray to release egg halves onto foil. Unmold remaining egg halves. Rewarm chocolate in bowl over simmering water until thermometer registers 115°F., stirring frequently. Remove from over water. Turn bottom egg halves (those with small flat base) so that large flat side faces up. Spread small amount of melted chocolate over large flat side of 1 egg bottom, leaving 1/4-inch border at edge. Immediately place corresponding egg top on chocolate and press gently to adhere. Wipe away any excess chocolate from seam. Place whole egg on foil-lined baking sheet and refrigerate. Repeat with remaining egg halves and melted chocolate. (Assembled eggs can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• Make decoration
• Prepare icing according to package directions; gradually mix in enough brown gel to reach desired shade. Spoon some icing into pastry bag fitted with star tip.
• Place 1 chocolate egg on revolving cake stand or on small round of foil on work surface. Holding tip of pastry bag close to egg, pipe 1 continuous line of icing decoratively onto seam, turning cake stand or foil as necessary. (Do not pipe unconnected designs such as stars onto seam; they break off easily.) To attach purchased icing decorations, use a toothpick to dab melted chocolate onto bottom of decoration, then affix to egg.
• Return decorated eggs to foil-lined baking sheet. Chill until icing sets, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled in large plastic containers.)

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-TOFFEE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Mix in sifted dry ingredients, then stir in white chocolate chips, toffee bits, and chopped pecans.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for briefly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to bake remaining batches.