Marshmallow Easter Eggs
Made from light, fluffy homemade marshmallow smothered in rich, dark chocolate, these Marshmallow Easter Eggs are sure to delight children and adults alike. The perfect homemade Easter treat.
Easter is nearly upon us and this Easter bunny is busy in the kitchen whipping up one of my favourite childhood sweet treats from New Zealand.
These beautiful Marshmallow Easter Eggs are made using my easy homemade marshmallow, then smothered in rich, dark chocolate. They’re so good and completely irresistible.
Are Marshmallow Easter Eggs difficult to make?
They are not as difficult as you might think. I grew up making candy with my mother and grandmother, so I have quite a lot of practice under my belt, but I think this recipe is fine for adventurous cooks!
Marshmallow is fairly forgiving as far as candy making goes and the ingredients are not terribly expensive so it is worth trying it out. Once you have a bit of practice you’ll be whipping up marshmallows for fireside toasting and hot chocolates all the time.
Ingredients
Store-bought marshmallows are full of strange ingredients, but my homemade marshmallow recipe has only three ingredients: Sugar, gelatine and vanilla.
No corn syrup or any other chemicals and stabilisers. All the more reason to make them yourself!
Instructions
I’ve given very detailed instructions in the recipe card to help you along, but the process is simple to follow.
- First, you make some egg-shaped forms to hold the marshmallow. I use an old confectioner’s trick, which is to use flour, and press an egg into a layer of flour – it sounds odd but it works perfectly.
- Secondly, you make a sugar syrup with gelatine, which is then whisked with powdered sugar and vanilla to gloriously light and fluffy marshmallow.
- Finally, once the marshmallow has set in the forms, it is coated in rich, dark chocolate and decorated with milk chocolate (and freeze-dried raspberries if you like!)
Tempering Chocolate
In this recipe, I use a simplified method of chocolate tempering called ‘seeding’. There is a lot of science behind how tempering chocolate works, but to put it simply, it is all about getting the crystals in the chocolate lined up in the right direction.
Seeding works by stirring already tempered chocolate into just melted chocolate, which means all those little crystals stay mostly where they are supposed to! It’s perfect for small-batch recipes like this and very effective.
A Wonderful Easter gift!
I always think of candy making as a type of kitchen alchemy, turning simple ingredients into culinary gold.
We’re all used to receiving store-bought Easter eggs, but there is something very special about gifting some that you’ve made yourself. The perfect Easter gift for your loved ones.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use a stand mixer to make Marshmallow Easter Eggs?
Only if you double the recipe. Most stand mixers need a certain volume of liquid to run properly, so for the amounts given in this recipe, you will need a hand mixer.
I don’t want to use flour to make the egg shapes. What are the alternatives?
You can use cornstarch as a substitute. Otherwise, you can use egg-shaped moulds (such as those used for devilled eggs) though they need to be generously oiled to stop the marshmallow from sticking.
I am living at altitude, does this have an effect on the marshmallow boiling time?
I have made this marshmallow recipe many times both in New Zealand at sea level and in my Munich kitchen at 520m (1700 ft.) without needing to alter the recipe. If you are higher than that (hi Colorado!) you may need to experiment!
How long will Marshmallow Easter Eggs keep?
Marshmallow Easter Eggs will last several weeks in a cool environment.
Can I double or triple the recipe?
At most, I would recommend doubling the recipe, the marshmallow will start to set as you pour it so it is work working in multiple batches rather than making a vast amount in one go.
Can I use agar instead of gelatine to make Marshmallow Easter Eggs?
I am still experimenting with agar and have not yet had much success making marshmallows with it – if you have some tips, share them in the comments below!
If you’ve been bitten by the marshmallow making bug, why not put your new skills to the test and make some Easter Bunny Cupcakes?
Marshmallow Making Video
Feeling unsure about making marshmallows? Here’s a video of me making a batch – I promise, it’s easy!
Marshmallow Easter Eggs Recipe
Marshmallow Easter Eggs
Made from light, fluffy homemade marshmallow smothered in rich, dark chocolate, these Marshmallow Easter Eggs are sure to delight children and adults alike. The perfect homemade Easter treat.
Ingredients
for the egg forms:
- 1 kg plain flour, can be reused afterwards
- 1 large egg, can be reused afterwards
for the marshmallow:
- 18 g powdered gelatine, or 10 sheets gold strength gelatine, see notes
- 225 g 1 cup white sugar
- 125 g 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
to coat:
- 150 g dark chocolate, , chopped finely, see notes
- 1 tsp coconut oil or shortening
- 75 g milk chocolate
optional:
- 2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries
Instructions
- BLOOM THE GELATINE: If using sheet gelatine, soak the sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes before starting the recipe.
- PREPARE: Spread the flour evenly over the base of a large, shallow sided dish or oven tray. Use the egg to make deep impressions in the flour spaced about 3cm / 1.5 in. apart. If the impressions crack or have a little avalanche, just press the egg gently back in to reshape it.
- MAKE THE SYRUP: Whisk the sugar and powdered gelatine together, then add to a large, deep-sided saucepan. Pour in 225ml of cold water, then bring to a boil, stirring often to make sure the sugar and gelatine are dissolved. If using gelatine sheets, squeeze the liquid out of each and add them to the warm syrup one by one. Be sure to use a large saucepan as the mixture can foam up.
- SIMMER THE SYRUP: When the mixture is at a full, rolling boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
- WHISK THE SYRUP: Prepare a hand mixer and a heatproof bowl. It’s a good idea to place the bowl on a folded dishcloth for stability. When the syrup has cooled pour it into the bowl. Beat on high speed (increasing the speed gradually to avoid splashes) for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- ADD THE FLAVOUR: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat for a further 2 minutes until well combined. Moving quickly, pour the marshmallow into the egg forms. It doesn’t matter if a little runs between them as you can trim them later.
- ALLOW TO SET: Allow the marshmallow to set for 30 minutes to 1 hour. When set, gently flip the marshmallows over in the flour to coat the sticky side, then brush off the excess flour. Use a pair of scissors to trim the drips away, and line a tray with baking paper.
- MELT THE CHOCOLATE: In a heatproof bowl, melt 100g of the dark chocolate in 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring well between each burst. When the chocolate has just melted, stir in the remaining dark chocolate and coconut oil or shortening and stir well, the residual heat should melt it all together.
- DIP THE EGGS: Dip the eggs one by one in the chocolate, turning to coat. You can use a spoon or fork to do this but it is honestly easier just to use your fingers. Place on the prepared tray and allow to set – this takes some time but you can speed it up by transferring the tray to the fridge.
- DECORATE: To decorate, melt the milk chocolate and drizzle over. Crumble over freeze-dried raspberries. If you like, you can melt a little chocolate and stick the halves together to make 3D Easter eggs. Store in an airtight container when fully cooled and set.
Notes
The flour used in the forms can be simply sifted and reused. If you have concerns about raw flour, use cornstarch instead.
I prefer to use sheet gelatine to make these eggs, though it is not easily available everywhere. You need to use the same amount of gold strength gelatine sheets by weight as powdered gelatine.
Always be careful working around hot sugar syrup. When whisking, run the mixer slowly at first, then increase the speed to avoid splashes.
Use good quality dark chocolate for best results, at least 50-70% cocoa.
Imperial and cup measures are approximates. For best and most accurate results I recommend using a digital kitchen scale like the one below.
Recommended Equipment
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Nutrition
Serving: 1egg | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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