History of Chocolate Easter Confection

By Anne Harvester 

The Mayans and Aztecs were two ancient people groups of Southern Mexico and Guatemala. What did they have to do with the history of Easter? This is where chocolate originated, and tied to the history of chocolate Easter confections provides a rich holiday legacy.

The Mayans and Aztecs discovered that the seeds of the cacao tree can be processed into chocolate. These early peoples mixed the ground cacao seeds with spices to create a beverage.

The Aztecs used cacao seeds as money, and they exacted cacao seeds from their citizens and their conquered. In Aztec culture, only royalty and elite could drink chocolate, but in Mayan culture more people had access to chocolate. Both cultures used chocolate as religious offerings and during sacred rituals.

Spanish conquistadors, after exploring Mexico, brought the seeds with them back to Spain, and the cacao seeds eventually spread all over Europe.

It was in Europe that the ground cacao seeds were mixed with sugar, and a new taste sensation was born. At this time in Europe only the rich could afford to drink chocolate.

The Industrial Revolution brought modern technology to the making of chocolate, and it was at this time that technology made it possible for chocolate to be eaten in its solid form.

It could also be mass produced, making it more accessible to a wider audience. Even today machines are used to sort and clean the seeds, then weigh them. After this they are roasted and cleaned still further.

At this point they get ground and through this process they are liquefied, then separated into cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Although each chocolate manufacturer has their own specific recipes for making chocolate, they all essentially mix together chocolate liquor, sugar, condensed milk and cocoa butter to create chocolate crumb.

The crumb is pressed and forms chocolate paste, which is then blended in a large vat.

At this stage, the chocolate is heated and cooled several times to temper it, making is shiny. After it is tempered, it can be poured into molds, forming all the familiar shapes in which chocolate comes.

It can also be poured over flavored centers or the shaped chocolate can be filled with liquid. Finally, a machine is used to package  the chocolate for sale.

The first solid chocolate Easter eggs were created in Germany and France around 1800. After this came the formation of hollow chocolate eggs, and with modern machines that could mass produce the confections, over time they became one of the best-loved Easter confections around the globe.

To satisfy our worldwide sweet tooth requires the manufacture of ninety million chocolate Easter bunnies every year. Today's Easter baskets, filled with Easter gifts, are a chocolate-filled holiday tradition.

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22 Favorite Chocolate Quotes for Easter

By Noel Jameson

Some people say that the tradition of giving Easter eggs began with the Chinese, who gave eggs as gifts in the celebration of spring. Regardless of its origin, there is no question that most people prefer chocolate Easter eggs today.

Here are a few of my favorite chocolate quotes that you can use in Easter egreetings, postal greetings and invitations, etc. -- or just to enjoy:

1. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces " ~ Judith Viorst

2. "Biochemically, love is just like eating large amounts of chocolate." ~ John Milton

3."Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." ~ John Q. Tullius

4. "Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it I wash my mouth out with chocolate." ~ Charles M. Schultz

5."Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" ~ Author Unknown

6 "Once in a while I say, 'Go for it' and I eat chocolate." ~ Claudia Schiffer

7. "Chocolate makes everyone smile - even bankers." ~ Chocolatier Benneville Strohecker

8."Caramels are only a fad. Chocolate is a permanent thing." ~ Milton Snavely Hershey

9. "There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who love chocolate, and communists." ~ Leslie Moak Murray in ‘Murray's Law' comic strip

10. "Any sane person loves chocolate." ~ Writer Bob Greene

11. "Other things are just food. But chocolate's chocolate." ~ Writer Patrick Skene Catling

12. "Stress wouldn't be so hard to take if it were chocolate covered." ~ Anonymous

13. "Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don't need an appointment." ~ Anonymous

14. "Chocolate: Here today...Gone today!" ~ Anonymous

15. "Chocolate is nature's way of making up for Mondays." ~ Anonymous

16. "There's more to life than chocolate, but not right now." ~ Anonymous

17. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" ~ Marquise de Sévigné (French writer and lady of fashion)

18. "Chocolate: the poor mans' champagne." ~ Daniel Worona

19. "The greatest tragedies were written by the Greek Sophocles and English Shakespeare. Neither knew chocolate." ~ Sandra Boynton

20. "Life without chocolate is life lacking something important." ~ Writers Marcia Colman Morton & Frederic Morton

21. "Nothing is more romantic than chocolate." ~ Ted, Queer Eye For The Straight Guy

22. "My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." ~ Dave Barry

I hope these chocolate quotes made you smile. Happy Easter!