Tying Easter Eggs with Peter Cottontail supervising! (March 1958)

For generations, Betty Jane Candies has thrilled Easter patrons with their "old world" candy-making traditions. Rabbits, baskets and eggs — all handcrafted with their scrumptious specially blended chocolate. Best known at Easter for their elegant chocolate eggs, Betty Jane Candies maintains the same craftsmanship that was developed more than 50 years ago.

Peter J. Kloston, Master Egg Decorator, receiving some assistance from Peter Cottontail, Master Egg Distributor (March 1958)

When founder, Peter Kloston, gently lifted the first rich chocolate egg from its shiny, nickel-plated mold, he knew he had created something very special indeed. But it wasn't until after he filled the egg with his own homemade chocolates, decorated it and garnished it with his hand-formed, crystallized marzipan (an European delicacy), that he knew a tradition had been born for Dubuque, Iowa.

Our Chocolate Hand Dippers making molded chocolate eggs (March 1958)

That was 1938. And those delicate chocolate creations are still crafted that way today — one egg at a time — using the very same molds.

Pouring tempered chocolate intoa rabbit mold (January, 1987)

Creating an Easter Wonderland of chocolate to thrill all ages and just in time for Easter requires planning and production to commence as early as January. Betty Jane's elegant chocolate eggs (in seven different sizes varying in weight from 10 ounces to almost 5 lbs.) are hand-molded, hand-decorated and hand-packed one egg at a time. In addition to chocolate eggs, we also produce delicate chocolate baskets in four sizes and twenty-five styles and sizes of chocolate rabbits.

Creating a Semi-Solid Chocolate Rabbit (January, 1987)

The process starts shortly after Christmas has ended — snowflakes are still flying and our New Year's resolutions are still in tough resolve. We gather together to perform the yearly two-week, eight-hour days of chocolate egg, rabbit, and basket molding. Whatever role we are presently functioning in, we turn in that hat for a white hair net and apron and obediently take the bunny hop toward the candy kitchen to the tune of the chocolate melters.

Removing the chocolate rabbits from their molds (January, 1987)

Trays of antique, nickel-plated, half-shell egg, rabbit and basket molds clank away awaiting the emergence of their chocolate old world German forms and characters. Each mold has been highly polished to a mirror finish so that the chocolate product will also be shiny.

Making molded Chocolate Eggs by pouring the chocolate into the mold, shaking out excess chocolate, and placing upside down to drain and dry-the process is repeated creating a "double-coated" shell (January, 1987)

However, if the chocolate has not been skillfully tempered when coating the mold, the chocolate can dull and turn a grayish, unattractive color. Each egg and basket mold is double-coated and rabbits are molded into solid and semi-solid chocolate rabbits.

Removing the chocolate egg shells from their molds (January, 1987)

Every Easter season we create more than 6,500 Easter eggs. That's more than 13,000 half-shells, 26,000 coatings of chocolate. After every mold is hand-filled or coated, the mold is then placed in a refrigerated room to dry, and later the chocolate product is "popped" out of the molds.

Packaging the chocolate rabbits in cellophane-the larger rabbits are also tied with a pastel Easter bow (January, 1987)

The chocolate rabbits are individually wrapped in cellophane bags and packed in boxes for a later delivery to our retail shops. The chocolate eggshells and baskets are also carefully packed and boxed, but still needing to undergo the decorating transformation at the end of February.

Creating a bottom pedestal for the lower half of an egg-the decorator applies a chocolate "glob" to the shell; the shell is then turned upside down and set into place on its newly-created pedestal (March, 1987)

Chocolate egg and basket decorating is another two-week production project. The candy kitchen converts into an assembly line of the different sizes of chocolate half-egg shells each placed equal distance of each other on boards covered in a heavy waxed paper.

The beginning process of decorating an egg by placing a chocolate border, through a pastry bag, around the outer edges of the egg shell (March, 1987)

The outlined edges of every chocolate egg shell are decorated with chocolate piped through a pastry bag, creating a lovely border that also functions with the dual purpose of providing a ridge that will catch and hold the ribbon in place while in the finishing stages of tying with a beautiful coordinating color of bow and then nested in its own festive Easter box.

Decorating the top half of an egg with foil leaves, foiled chocolate novelties and marzipan (March, 1987)

The top of each egg shell is decorated with gilded foil leaves, royal icing spring flowers and Easter themes, foiled chocolate eggs, chicks and rabbits, in a rainbow of colors and patterns, "glued" to the egg with chocolate from the pastry tube. Small candies that look like crystallized fruits called marzipan are also incorporated into the design. Our almond-flavored marzipan candies are one of our Easter specialties that have become a Betty Jane Easter sensation.

Packing the lower half of an egg with Betty Jane assorted chocolates and Gremlins while Peter Cottontail looks on (March 1958)

The designs can vary yearly depending upon the items available for decorating — glossy chocolate, dazzling colored foils, rich, fruity marzipan against a backdrop of satin, pastel ribbons beckons to Peter Cottontail!

After the lower half of an egg is filled with chocolates, the decorated upper half (the lid) of the egg is placed on top of the lower half (March, 1987)

The last step in the decorating stage is to reunite the decorated top egg shell with the bottom egg shell that has been hand-packed with our superior chocolate assortment, Gremlins, or both. The lid is placed gently on the bottom half and securely tied together with a bow-the result, a completed chocolate Easter spectacular!

The eggs are tied securely with a beautiful, pastel Easter bow-all the bows are handmade, too! (March, 1987)

Some of our customers request a personalization written in icing on their scrumptious chocolate egg for gift giving. Finally, each precious egg is nestled in its own gift box.

The finished product-a beautiful, Betty Jane Easter Egg, is now nestled in its own box, ready to be sold! (March, 1987)

Chocolate baskets are also packed with assorted chocolates, foil wrapped chocolate novelties, then dressed up in Easter cellophane and tied with a bow.
From start to finish, it takes seventeen stages to create one Betty Jane chocolate Easter egg. And it's all done by hand.

Lift the lid and you will discover-Betty Jane Candies under the cover! (March 2001)

While our hurry-up society revolves around high technology, you can be assured that Betty Jane Candies will maintain its traditions of excellence and standards — one egg at a time!