If you are in search of something fun, easy and festive for this Easter Sunday, look no further! Jaymee Sire of e is for eat shares these amaretto cream cheese-filled strawberries dipped in chocolate and decorated to look like Easter eggs. DELISH!
First, you’ll need to hull some strawberries. This Chef’n Strawberry Huller from Williams-Sonoma works perfectly. (Isn’t it just the cutest? You can also use it to seed a tomato as well.) However, if you don’t have one, a paring knife or grapefruit spoon would work too.
To make the filling, mix up some room temperature cream cheese, amaretto, and powdered sugar. (*Note, if you are making these alcohol-free or kid-friendly, you could sub almond extract for the amaretto).
Pipe the filling into the hollowed out strawberries using a pastry bag or a small Ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. (Although I own pastry bags and frosting tips, I opted for the Ziplock bag in this instance since it didn’t need to look fancy). Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes so the cream cheese has a chance to firm back up.
For the chocolate, you should technically use a double boiler, but I was lazy, so I just stuck some chocolate chips, cream, Bailey’s and coconut oil in the microwave and heated on high until it was fully melted. (Mine took about 3 minutes, stopping every minute to stir). Allow to cool slightly and dip each strawberry at an angle into the chocolate, give a swift turn (so cream cheese doesn’t ooze out) and place on a pan lined with parchment paper. If you want to sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut, you can do that now while the chocolate is still wet. However, I wanted to decorate mine like Easter eggs, so I just stuck them into the fridge to set. (Again, simply omit the Bailey’s to make them alcohol-free).
I made a basic buttercream frosting and colored them with food coloring to make my own Easter colors, but you could also use store-bought frosting. (Just don’t try using the gel tubes, as they don’t show up on the chocolate).
Now the fun part! Using either Ziplocks with tiniest holes cut in the corners or a pastry bag fitted with a very fine frosting tip, decorate your “eggs.” (This would be a fun activity for kids too!) Let your imagination run wild, and Happy Easter!
(To get the full recipe, visit Jaymee’s site, eisforat.com http://eisforeat.blogspot.com/2012/04/is-for-amaretto-cream-cheese-chocolate.html)
