21 April, 2011

Mama Gibson's Buttercream Eggs

Every Easter, for as long as I've lived, my Mom has made my Great Grandmother, Mama Gibson's Buttercream Eggs. They are sooo rich, as children we were only allowed a sliver at a time. These days, I can polish off two before Easter sunset and looming Diet Monday...

1/2 lb. butter
2 lb. Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

Mix together by hand...

Additional ingredients may now be incorporated to make different flavors such as peanut butter...

And, my personal fav, cherry. Since this recipe has been handed down through four generations, exact measurements are mostly stored in memories. Unfortunately, my Mother's memory is currently sailing around the Virgin Islands and could not be tapped...

But, I do recall that you must add some of the Maraschino cherry juice to give the cherry eggs their pink hue. Other flavors that have graced our baskets over the years include coconut, pecan and chocolate...

*My mother arrived back in the country late last night and has been frantically calling to tell me you do NOT add cherry juice to the buttercream mixture. In fact, the cherries must be blotted with a paper towel to remove excess liquid. The pink hue will occur naturally once the cherries are added.

After experimenting with the flavors mixology, shape into eggs and refrigerate for 1-2 days. So, you'll want to start these as early as today and no later than Good Friday...

After your mandatory refrigeration period:

1/2 lb. unsweetened chocolate
2 inches of wax

Melt together in a double boiler...

Dip, or ladle as my sister is shown doing, to cover eggs in chocolate wax mixture...

Place on a wax lined cookie sheet and garnish so you'll know what flavor lies beneath. Place back in the frige til chocolate hardens. Individually wrap each egg in Saran and keep refrigerated...

Last year my sister Genevieve made the eggs and, since we have outgrown Easter baskets, my Mom distributed them in pretty, tissue lined boxes from Williams-Sonoma...

Although, I am a huuuge fan of the topiary baskets from Cliff Finch's Zoo...

I had the bunny one for years and 'twas indeed a show stopper. Great for buttercream eggs, jelly beans and Hermès bangles but, I kinda outgrew mine when I started asking the Easter Bunny for Benz wagons and Goyard totes...

Kindness of my sister Genevieve for providing all the pics of last year's egg making. And, as I requested yesterday, cherry for moi and plain for my other one Babe please...XXOO

15 comments:

  1. this is just too good... i will have to give them a try...
    i am sure they are much better than the russell stovers!
    (which i do love i must admit)

    have a wonderful easter...xoxo

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  2. Wax? I don't get the wax part.Do you end up having to eat wax?

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  3. Please excuse my ignorance (I am a little Jewish girl and have just a smattering of knowledge about Easter Eggs) - why do you put a layer of "unsweetened" chocolate wax on the outside of the eggs? Do you peel that off before you eat the egg?

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  4. Delicious! I finally realized why I never see your posts in my Google Reader, for some odd reason I never signed up to follow you! I'm now a follower though, woohoo!

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  5. I love old family traditions, but I'm all for starting new ones, too, so I am definitely making these--starting today. Any hints about lemon-izing them would be most appreciated! Thanks!

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  6. I'm guessing melting the wax with the chocolate allows the chocolate to become more of a shell?

    I'm afraid the Butt Police would shoot me on sight, were I to make these.

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  7. Oh wow, these are going to get me in trouble!

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  8. The reason unsweetened chocolate is used is because the buttercream mixture is sooo sweet it's needed to balance it out. And, the wax is added to the chocolate when melted to help form a shell. Otherwise the chocolate would just slide right off when dipping the eggs. It's totally edible and you can not even tell there's wax mixed in. And, yes Patsy, the Butt Police will be out in force this Easter weekend...XXOO

    ps...please be sure to read the note highlighted in green I just added to the post if you plan on making the cherry flavor!

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  9. Oh my, my, my. I will definitely be trying these this afternoon, they look amazing!

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  10. Oh wow, I am definitely making these this afternoon to go in my husband's easter basket - he LOVES these things! I might be getting into a little bit of trouble/sugar coma!

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  11. You are amazing! Lovely and delish treats. But I'm loving those topiary centerpieces
    xoxo
    SC

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  12. What happens if you DO add the cherry juice? I might try these with peppermint extract.

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  13. oh dear lord, even this lil gal from Wisco (aka fat people and fat food capital of the US) thinks these look rich! I might just have to make a batch, thank you for sharing this gem!

    xoox

    kHm

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  14. i do not do this ones by myself ; for my excuse my brother in law is a chocolatier here in France ; i let you imagine what i gonna eat on this easter !

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  15. I don't care if Easter is over- I just read this and MUST make them. Very similar to a family recipe of mine. SOUNDS DIVINE! Conveniently, my own Butt Police left for Bermuda on Monday, so I am scot free! ;)

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