This is a collaborative post: Easter is the perfect time to get all the family together. The cold, dark days of winter are long forgotten, the weather begins to improve and we’re all treated to an extra couple of days off work thanks to the double Bank Holiday weekend.
If you’ve got young ones at home, you might be thinking about setting up an Easter egg hunt – after all, it’s a tradition as firmly established as the hot cross bun! But have you ever stopped to think about how chocolate Easter eggs came to be such a staple of the holiday?
We all love tucking into the sweet treats with our loved ones, but you might not know it’s a trend that dates back centuries…
The history of the Easter egg
Many of us think of eggs as a basic food staple – the perfect breakfast fodder in the form of an omelette, an ideal accompaniment to a gammon steak or even a fancy pizza topping. But in eras gone by it took on far greater significance, with many cultures around Europe treating eggs as a symbol of rebirth. The practice of decorating eggs began, and they were often given as gifts to loved ones in order to ward off evil and hasten the arrival of springtime.
The introduction of chocolate Easter eggs
As far back as the 19th century, Peter Carl Faberge began to produce opulent bejewelled eggs and it was around that time that decorated chocolate versions were being created across Europe, most notably in France and Germany. These became increasingly prevalent and down the decades they have grown in popularity to the point where millions are sold globally every year by some of the world’s largest and most famous confectioners.
DIY Easter eggs
They’re delicious to eat, of course, but have you ever thought about making your own Easter eggs? There are plenty of simple online recipes to follow and the sense of satisfaction from crafting your own will make them taste all the sweeter. Plus, a couple of hours spent in the kitchen with the kids is a great way to enjoy some quality family time together.
And, if you find you have a real talent for it, there have been plenty of examples in recent years of festivals where budding chocolatiers are encouraged to come along and show off their artisan crafting skills. With intricate decorations and unusual flavours, those kinds of events are ideal for any Easter egg connoisseur!