Chocolate Vermicelli nests for Easter

Easter is a time for children and adults to indulge in chocolate eggs and other yummy goodies. The custom of giving eggs on Easter is to celebrate new life. The egg is seen as a  symbol of Jesus's resurrection when he rose from the dead. The eggs are thought to be special as they have life within them and are now synonymous with Easter celebrations.

My fascination for festival special sweets is known to everyone with a number of posts on festivity celebrations. Be it Diwali, Holi or Christmas, I love to whip up and create goodies with local ingredients.

I have been wanting to try my hands on these famous chocolate nests which is usually made with noodles or crushed cornflakes. I wanted to Indianize them and present them as an Indian sweet therefore I chose to use roasted vermicelli or sewaiyan for the nests and mould sandesh as little eggs.

After some trials I came up with the baked version which gives a crunchy texture to the nests very much like the vermicelli baklava.

Wishing all our readers a very Happy and Blessed Easter.

Ingredients : For 5 such chocolate nests

• 60 gms roasted vermicelli/sewaiyan (roughly 3/4 cup of broken vermicelli)
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup melted dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp cream (I used fresh cream that sets as top layer of boiled milk, you may use Amul)
• 2 tbsp warm milk

Easter eggs : 

• 1 cup milk 
• a pinch of citric acid/1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp powdered sugar
• a drop of red, yellow and blue edible food colouring

Garnish:

• grated milk chocolate

Procedure :

Chocolate Nests : 
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.
Take roasted vermicelli/sewaiyan in a bowl and crush them.
Add melted butter and mix well with the vermicelli.
Grease a muffin pan or individual muffin tins and spread the vermicelli in the pan.

Put the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 mins or till you see them brown a little.
Allow to cool.
Take melted chocolate in a bowl and add the cream and milk. Mix it well. 
Dip the vermicelli nests in the chocolate mixture and keep on a plate. Refrigerate for the chocolate to set well. 

Easter eggs : 
Take milk in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Mix in the lime juice or citric acid and stir till you see the milk curdling and the whey separating.
Turn off the flame and let it stand for 2 mins. Meanwhile prepare a vessel by placing a muslin cloth or use a colander.
Strain the mixture into the muslin cloth. I usually save the whey to use it to knead my dough for roti or use it while boiling dal.
Bring the sides of the muslin cloth together and hang it to drain excess liquid for 20 mins. This is the Chenna.
Take the chenna in a plate and knead it with the heel of your palm for 5-10 mins till you get a smooth and doughy texture. Mix in the powdered sugar and make it into a ball.
Divide into four and add a drop of the red, yellow and blue food colouring to each. 
Mix it well and form small balls out of each colour and then shape into an egg. 
I made red, yellow, blue and white eggs. 

Sprinkle the grated milk chocolate over the nests and place the colourful eggs in the chocolate nests.
  

 

Notes : 

• I used readymade roasted vermicelli. You may dry roast the unroasted ones and use. 
• If you do not want to add chocolate to the nests, add some powdered sugar along with melted butter and then bake. 
• You may melt the chocolate on a double boiler or in the microwave for about  a minute with 15 seconds bursts.
• I made a little runny chocolate mixture to coat the vermicelli nests. If you want a thicker coat of chocolate skip the milk and substitute with cream. 
• If you do not want to add food colours, keep them plain white or add a drop of any fruit crush to get some colour and flavour.

Happy Easter

Amrita