Easter eggs just took a turn for the exotic. With chocolate from Ecuador and Madagascar, vintage aesthetic inspired by dragon eggs courtesy Game of Thrones and even a very quirky platter of Bunny’s teeth —we’ve discovered some festive originals that spell intrigue. Pastry chefs in luxury boutiques like Fabelle and Tryst Cafe also shared with us that if you don’t have a sweet tooth, your Easter dessert can be customised on a scale of mildly sweet to bitter, if you so wish. The Leather Bar at The Park on the other hand, has concocted a festival-inspired mocktail just for the celebration, on their menu. What can we say, except we predict this is going to be an egg-cellent weekend!
Crack for a surprise
The Easter eggs at ITC Grand Chola’s Fabelle — The Chocolate Boutique are almost an explosion of surprises after surprise. Deepthi Joji of Fabelle says they have chocolate chip cookies, marshmallows dipped in chocolate and pistachios and chocolate almonds inside the egg. “In addition, we use 67 per cent Madagascar chocolate which is bitter. While the red egg is white chocolate, the grey egg is made out of dark chocolate,” she says. Medium sized eggs are priced at `600, large eggs at `1,000 and handcrafted pralines at `100. Limited eggs on display. Made to order and requires two hours notice.
Keto fix
If you’re a health nut but can’t resist the tempting scent of Easter goodies, fret not! Homebaker Sruti Bhaskar’s Sweetooth Fairy has keto and paleo-friendly Easter cakes that don’t use artificial sweeteners. “I use a natural herbal sugar made out of a leaf called Stevia,” says Sruti Bhaskar. “We also make maida and wheat-free cakes so if you’re allergic to gluten, then there’s an option for that as well.” `2,000 for 1 kg keto cake. Made to order and requires 24 hours notice.
Sink your teeth in
This one might give your dentist friends a kick. Going a step ahead of marzipan bunnies, La Patisserie at the Taj Coromandel has decided to go a tad graphic this year and have forged their version of ‘bunny teeth!’ “It’s made with 70 per cent cocoa chocolate base, praline made of raspberry (for the gums) and marzipan teeth with a hazelnut paste for that enamel finish,” says Ravi Varma the pastry chef with a smile. As a finishing touch, the dessert is plated with a carrot right beside it. `75 a piece. Also, don’t miss their marshmallows rolled in chocolate in the shape of egg and piped with French butter cream. `1,000 for two.
Shake your bon bon
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Looking to buy some decadent-looking Easter eggs that resemble a dragon’s egg from Game of Thrones? Homebakers Sanjana Robinson and Harish Kumar Chandrasekaran of Crumbs and Layers have fashioned a large, double-layered egg filled with chocolate mousse and a centre of strawberry compote. “We use Belgian chocolate for the shell and we also have bon bons that are filled with chewy caramel and mango mousse,” says Sanjana. Large entremets priced at `400 each. Made to order.
Pecking order
Fancy a seven-inch-tall hen sitting in your living room? Tryst Cafe has upped the ante on the ubiquitous Easter nest to carve out this 100 per cent edible chocolate beauty. Weighing about a kilogram, owner of the café Samia Sait tells us it’s packed on the inside as well. “We’ve got chocolate with various fillings like almond and caramel, while the eggs on the base are made with a white chocolate shell and also filled with goodies,” she says. `1,200. Made to order and requires 24 hours notice to be customised.
Raise a glass
Looking for an Easter offering you’ve never tried before? Leather Bar at The Park has put together a mocktail just for the occasion. So if chocolate eggs are too passé for you this year, sample this single origin Ecuadorian 75 per cent dark chocolate ganache mocktail with fresh berries and homemade ginger syrup blended finely and poured over a coupe. “The thought behind it was to take a few elements of an Easter egg like chocolate and marshmallows and weave them into a drink for adults at the bar,” says F&B manager Kiron Kumar. “For that festive flourish, we garnish it with coloured sprinkles and marshmallows,” he adds. `502 (inclusive of tax).