We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this missive about an easy Easter creation!
This isn’t really a recipe, and no, it’s not even really instructions. It’s more like encouragement to just DO it! I saw a Food Porn picture that inspired the idea of making chocolate nests with little colorful eggs nest-led inside them. I think the ones I saw were coconut but I recalled years ago I once made chocolate “haystacks” using chinese crunchy noodles, and so thought I could coerce the chocolate covered “sticks” into nests. And guess what?! Well, you probably already saw the picture, so you know the outcome. It worked!
*For an idea of scale in the picture above, the malted eggs are each the size of a large grape.
OK, here is my un-recipe:
Ingredients: Chocolate and Chinese Crunchy Noodles (I used the 5 oz cannister of La Choy Chow Mein Noodles) *optional: Use pretzel sticks, or toasted coconut for little nests.
- Get some chocolate. ANY kind. Really! For my first batch I blended a large bar of smooth milk chocolate with a few cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. How much? That’s up to you. We’re eyeballing it. My guess would be between 2-3 cups.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler if you have one OR just use a glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave. I used the defrost setting and kept stirring it every 30 seconds. I’m telling you, this is not difficult science!
- Stir in enough crunchy noodles or pretzels until they are just well coated, with not too much excess chocolate.
- On wax paper or a cookie sheet, scoop blobs (isn’t that an appetizing word?) of chocolatey goodness and form indented centers with a spoon.
- Let them set and add 3 colorful candy eggs. I used chocolate malted ones with decorative speckling, for best effect.
Try not to eat them all before you gift out Easter and spring goodness.
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’ ” Robin Williams
Smaller, friendlier versions made with coconut and jelly beans
When my friend Rodney at the local Strawberry Creek Inn heard about them, he wanted me to bring some over. As my big, impressive nests were already allotted to my nephews and niece, I obliged by whipping up a mini batch of toasted coconut ones. All in a no-shopping day.
Do you have some cool, easy, and/or tasty Easter recipes or ideas to share? Please contribute in the comments. And hurry! 😉 Have a hopping happy weekend.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I'm getting ideas about using this for other seasons/holidays. For winter, sprinkle white powdered sugar for that "Birds Flew South" theme. Or make mini-pumpkins made from biscuit/bread dough w/orange food coloring added, or make jello balls for the pumpkins. Lets use our imagination. How can we take this recipe for Christmas? Hmmmmm, I can hear some gears clickin' now
Thank you so much, Lisa, for sharing great variations and suggestions! I love the winter white sugar dusting. My friend, Rodney, actually suggested the same last night but I was thinking our snow has melted and it's spring now! But I love the idea of winter nests and maybe shiny foil covered eggs. Magic! Happy weekend xo G
Melted white chocolate or butterscotch chips can give u different colored nests too! 🙂
Yay Nancy! Your comment finally appeared 🙂 Thanks for your ideas on Twitter and now here. I think white chocolate ones would be magical! Hope you had a colorful and happy Easter! xo G
For winter, you could probably use the chinese noodle recipe to make "grapevine" wreaths, or tint white chocolate with green food coloring to make evergreen wreaths. Add a couple of tiny cinnamon candies to look like holly berries. Hmm, I wonder if it would hold up as a Christmas tree? Flock the tree with powdered sugar or white coconut and add Mini M&Ms.
Who has ideas for other holidays?
Barbara! Those are all such fun variations. Thank you for contributing. I'm also thinking one could use the chocolate-y brown Chinese noodles as a rustic fence for the front yard of a gingerbread house 🙂 Hope your Easter was a happy one, sweetness! G
Darn! Wish I had of read this before Easter was over! These nests are right up my alley! Next year for sure! And I like Lisa's idea of adapting them for other holidays! I thnik I might try both versions too….coconut and chow mein noodles, (since I love both!).
Thanks for sharing Gina! :)))
Thanks Ellie dahlink! You could always just add the coconut to the bigger Chinese noodle creations. There are now more cool ideas listed below – such a creative community! I love it. Thank you, as ever, for popping in! xo G
Hello! Great recipe. I am new to cooking this is my first Easter hosting. I wanted to make these. Any suggestions on what to use for the actual nest?
Thanks Savannah! I use any crunchy Chinese noodle, like these: http://www.lachoy.com/products/noodles.jsp I might look for a healthy version. Are you asking what I used for shaping the nests? Any shallow bowl would work. Let me know how they come out! They are really easy – and so so tasty. Enjoy and happy Easter!