Easter egg making tutorial (Sprinklebakes for Etsy)

OK, I'm going to preface this by admitting that I have no interest in making easter eggs any time in the next 2 weeks!
I have too many other mental projects on the go for xmas (Yes, I know it's April, I'm just a very slow crafter) and too many social calls to make.

That said, I will have a go at moulding chocolate and I have made easter eggs before- My mum went through a phase in the 90s of making easter eggs. I really enjoyed making them and eating the end products- spreading the chocolate over the inside of the mould is weirdly therapeutic- even if you're about 8. She used to leave them hollow and tie the sides together with ribbon. I assumed for people other than family she put them into boxes but I can't remember.
She also used to make lemon cake for easter, and we'd make little marzipan chicks to decorate the cake board- and mini eggs obviously. My vegetarianism is clearly deep seated as I remember being about 4 and crying because we couldn't eat the chicks incase it made them sad. This was usually accompanied by "marzipan can't get sad, eat your dinner" type comments- I'm pretty sure we had similar conversations about gingerbread men and animal shaped biscuits (and once, as my mother and Aunt enjoy reminding me, a conversation about how chickens would be cold if you took all their feathers away and made them live in the chiller section in safeway- followed by closer inspection of the chickens and asking where their heads were). 

I wish I'd seen something like this tutorial and been "inspired" last year- then I'd have rescued all my mum's old chocolate moulding stuff when they moved house- as it is some luck person will have gotten a chocolate moulding bargain from the animal shelter charity shop in Didcot. Damn you!
Arcadia sells eggs like this, but they're £15 each, so this would be a cheaper and more personal way to give an easter present!

Traff's parents arrive today for 3 weeks, so I can't see me having time or energy to make easter eggs, and I think he'd kill me if I made a mess in the kitchen.
I'm frightened to move at the moment- everything is so tidy it's like living in a show home!

Anyway, for a time when I don't have a show home and do have some easter egg moulds, here are the instructions:

Chocolate Surprise Egg
Yield: One 8-inch egg

You will need:
2 Large egg molds
1 lb chocolate bark or chocolate candy coating
2 Craft brushes, each 2-inches wide
Cellophane bags
Plastic basket shred or plastic grass
Ribbon, or an extra tailor’s tape measure if making the sewing-themed egg
Cellophane wrap
Small gifts and treats

Note: This egg holds spools of thread, candy buttons, an embroidered daisy handkerchief, candy-coated chocolates, a pin cushion, a thimble, a fabric quarter, and a tailor’s tape measure.

Place the egg molds in a large baking pan so that they are level. You can also use crumpled aluminum foil on a baking sheet as a support if you don’t have a large enough pan.

Heat the chocolate bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir well between intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Pour about one-quarter of the melted chocolate bark into one of the egg molds.

Remove the mold from the baking pan and use a craft brush to paint the chocolate bark inside the egg cavity.

Work from the center outward. Pay special attention to coating the top edges of the mold, as this area is easy to miss with the paintbrush. When the egg is evenly covered in chocolate, return it to the baking pan and repeat the process with the second egg mold. Place the chocolate-coated egg molds in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, or until they are set and have a matte surface appearance.

Reheat the remaining chocolate bark (if necessary). Pour another quarter of the chocolate bark in one of the molds and spread it on with the second paint brush (at this point, the first paintbrush you used will be unusable with thick, set chocolate, so it’s handy to have a second). Hold the egg mold up to the light and look for any thin spots. They’ll be instantly illuminated and you can see where the chocolate needs to be spread. Repeat these steps with remaining egg mold. Place the molds in the baking pan and freeze until the chocolate is set.

Before removing the eggs halves from the molds, run a small knife around the top edge of the mold to remove excess chocolate. The chocolate candy shells are delicate, so be particularly gentle.

Remove the chocolate shells by gently picking them up in the center.

Lay the chocolate egg halves on a cool dry surface and allow them to come to room temperature.

Gather together the small gifts and candy you wish to put inside the egg.

Small pieces like plastic buttons and snaps should be put in small cellophane bags. If you’re concerned that the egg may be exposed to heat or melt during transit, you may choose to put all of the contents into small cellophane bags for extra insurance.

Line the egg with some of the plastic grass and place the gifts on top of the grass. Place a little more plastic grass on top of the presents to pad them and hold them securely inside the egg.

Place the second chocolate egg half on top of the filled shell so that they meet evenly. Tuck in any stray pieces of plastic grass.

Place the closed egg on a large sheet of cellophane wrap and, holding it together with your hands, stand it upright, pointed-end-up. Still holding it together with one hand, gather the cellophane around the egg and cinch it at the top just above the egg’s pointed tip. Tie the cellophane wrap with a ribbon or with a tailor’s tape measure.

Note: You may choose to lightly fuse the two halves together with a little melted chocolate bark. Just paint a small amount on the edge of one chocolate half and close with the second egg half. Store the eggs in a cool, dry place.