Easter Bird’s Nests with Vanilla Cupcakes

When I was a little girl I absolutely loved the idea of the Easter Bunny. On Easter Saturday night I would go to sleep knowing when I woke on Sunday morning, there would be a swathe of chocolate eggs wrapped in shiny coloured foil waiting for me beside my bed – my very own sugar treasure trove to consume as I pleased, all delivered by a mysterious chocolate-making rabbit. I wouldn’t have been more than eight or nine years old when my sister decided to reveal to me the true identity of the Easter Bunny. She explained that our mum would wait until we were asleep, then sneak in and place the eggs beside our beds. I could not believe this was true so I hatched a plan to wait and see who exactly brought me my Easter eggs. It wasn’t easy staying awake – after all, I was just a little kid and I led a busy life! By bedtime I was normally exhausted! But I didn’t have to wait long until a shadowy figure appeared in the doorway and then snuck into my room. I remember it well, because I was asleep on the top bunk in my sister’s room. I was careful to act as if I was out cold as the little cardboard box filled with a foil wrapped egg surrounded by chocolates was placed beside my pillow. I snuck a careful peak and lo, the identity of the Easter Bunny was revealed. I shan’t repeat what I saw here, but suffice to say the magic of Easter wasn’t destroyed for me then, and since becoming a mum, it’s never been stronger!

Ingredients
200g high quality cooking chocolate
20g Copha, melted
3 large handfuls of shredded coconut
72 Cadbury mini-eggs

1. Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and melt in a microwave oven on high for 80 seconds. Remove and stir with a metal spoon to combine until all chocolate pieces are melted. Use extra burst of five seconds in the microwave if the last bits won’t melt, but be very careful not to burn the chocolate.
2. Pour the melted copha over the chocolate and mix until well combined.
3. Add the coconut one handful at a time, folding through the chocolate to coat each strand. Make sure the mix is wet enough to stick together, but not so wet that the chocolate forms a pool under the coconut.
4. Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of coconut mixture into non-stick gem scone tins. Carefully shape a cavity in the middle for the mini eggs to rest.
5. Place two mini eggs on each nest and place in the fridge until set. Use to decorate your favourite cupcakes – the ones shown are my traditional vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing.