Easter Egg Nests...and April's Give-Away

I'm packing up Easter Basket boxes today for the Grands!  My mother always made homemade treats this time of year and I carry on the tradition, coming up with a few new ones she couldn't have imagined!

However, today, I also wanted to focus on Spring and the "rebirth" of the season; not only in the beautiful flowers and trees that are popping out, but in the wildlife.  I love listening to the geese honking on our lake and the birds chirping in the woods behind us.  Then, there's the deer with her fawns frolicking through our yard.  The apron I made for this month's give-away represents all of that...Nature in full bloom.

A close up of this beautiful pattern

The treats I made are my version of macaroons--not to be confused with the French macaron, these are made with coconut with an extra crunch of crushed pretzel sticks to simulate the "twigs" in a nest.  The eggs are my favorite Cadbury eggs with a candy shell.  I think they will be a nice addition to the other treats Ari and Maddie will enjoy.

Easter Egg Nests
1 14 oz. pkg sweetened coconut
1 14oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated)
1/3 cup + 1 T All Whites (from pasteurized egg whites only)

3/4 cup crushed pretzels
1 T Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate bits 
1 pkg Cadbury Mini Eggs

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut and crushed pretzels with your hands to combine.

Using a spatula, fold in the can of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Beat the eggs whites on medium speed of a hand mixer to a soft peak.  Add to the mixture and fold in again.

 Use a large 1/4-cup scoop and pack down using the spatula.

Place the mounds on the baking sheet.  With the back of a spoon, press down in the center to create the nest.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 7-8 minutes until golden brown.

Add about 5 or 6 bittersweet pieces immediately to the warm cookies.  As they become soft and melted, place 3 mini eggs in the center of the nest.

I packaged these treats in an 4 x 6-inch self-sealed bag I bought at the packaging store then, add a sticker that I stamped a bird nest on.

I thought the cracking of the eggs from the warmth of the cookies was a nice touch--as if to show new life unfolding. 

Happy Easter and Passover to everyone.  Remember, when you comment on posts during this month, your name is place in a jar.  I will draw the winner of Spring's Rebirth Apron at the end of the month.  Enjoy!