Easter Candy: Coconut Cream Eggs

I enjoy marking the seasons as we move through the year and I do this through decorations, time in nature, activities and food. Although the Easter baskets we received as children were more non-edibles than candy, there were always a few special pieces of candy in there. The local chocolatiers sold large solid-filled eggs with sugar flours or names written on them. There were ‘fruit’-centred eggs, peanut butter-flavoured centres, and coconut cream eggs. Coconut cream eggs were my favourite and the special treat in my Easter basket. Here’s my mom’s recipe for the coconut cream eggs that were made and sold in the Philadelphia region.

My Mom’s Pennsylvania Coconut Cream Egg Recipe:

• Take an 8 oz package of cream cheese and let it soften.
• Mix in about 10-12 oz of unsweetened shredded coconut until the main flavour is coconut.
• Mix in a bit of confectioner’s sugar to slightly sweeten it.  Do not make it too sweet since you will later be dipping them in chocolate.
• Once the mixture is solid enough to form egg shapes (add more coconut if it is not), create little eggs approximately 2/3 the size of a real chicken egg.
• Place the egg shapes on wax paper to rest while you carefully melt a few chocolate bars or chocolate chips.  Dark chocolate is preferable for the authentic flavour, but you could use milk chocolate if necessary.  Just be sure to add less sugar because once the chocolate is added, the eggs really sweeten up!
• Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and carefully lower the egg on a spoon into the chocolate to coat all sides. Then, place it back on the wax paper and wait for it to harden.
• Once the eggs cool, store them in a container in the fridge, only removing just before serving (or presenting in an Easter basket) since they contain dairy.

One egg is a large serving, so make them smaller for children or slice pieces off for them.  You could also make a family size one, similar to those sold by chocolatiers and decorate them with sugar flowers and/or names. ENJOY!

Did trying these get you into confectionery? You might also like trying another traditional Philadelphian candy known as ‘Irish Potatoes’ or a homemade version of the candy made famous by another Pennsylvanian: homemade peanut butter cups!

What traditional candies remind you of your childhood?