Is there a better way to spend the Easter bank holiday than rounding up your friends and family and trying to make your very own chocolate egg?

Of course the Easter bunny may drop off a treat or two but if people want to give it a go themselves Emporium Norwich, run by Marcela Da Costa, has a step-by-step guide.

The chocolatier, originally from Brazil, has even launched chocolate-making workshops around the city.

Our very own Evening News visual team, Ella Wilkinson and Brittany Woodman, got the chance to visit Marcela and have a go.

Norwich Evening News: Marcela Da Costa, who runs Emporium Norwich - an artisan chocolate business, with daughter Manu. Pictures: Brittany WoodmanMarcela Da Costa, who runs Emporium Norwich - an artisan chocolate business, with daughter Manu. Pictures: Brittany Woodman (Image: Brittany Woodman)

Ella Wilkinson, senior visual journalist, received a lesson on how to make the perfect chocolate egg.

She said: "We went to Marcela's house and went through each step in how to make it.

Norwich Evening News: Easter egg making at Emporium Norwich., with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany WoodmanEaster egg making at Emporium Norwich., with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany Woodman (Image: Brittany Woodman)

"First off we tempered the chocolate - this gives it that perfect shine when you open it out of the box and that satisfying crack.

"To temper the chocolate you heat up two thirds of it to around 44-50C, mix in the other third cold and bring the temperature down to 32C.

"After this we put them into moulds to let it harden and set in the fridge."

Norwich Evening News: Ella Wilkinson at Emporium Norwich, with her finished Easter egg. Pictures: Brittany WoodmanElla Wilkinson at Emporium Norwich, with her finished Easter egg. Pictures: Brittany Woodman (Image: Brittany Woodman)

Instead of waiting the required 12 hours - in order to get that perfect shine - Marcela provided some Blue Peter-esque egg half-shells she had made earlier.

Ella added: "We then decorated the eggs by piping in some some of Marcela's very own brigadeiro spread, a native Brazilian chocolate and adding some chocolate rabbits, carrots and various coloured flakes to it.

"We then took both half-shells and melted them together by using a heat gun - however Marcela said a hair dryer will do just as good a job.

Norwich Evening News: The finished product after Easter egg making at Emporium Norwich., with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany WoodmanThe finished product after Easter egg making at Emporium Norwich., with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany Woodman (Image: Brittany Woodman)

"Once that had set we put on the final touch, adding the Emporium seal of approval to the egg - by which time I just really wanted to eat it."

Marcela started her company up in 2019 after moving to Norwich six years ago.

Should budding bakers wish to attend the next workshop it is being held on Sunday, May 3, at The Shoulder of Mutton in Strumpshaw.

Norwich Evening News: Ella Wilkinson at Emporium Norwich, learning how to make Easter eggs, with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany WoodmanElla Wilkinson at Emporium Norwich, learning how to make Easter eggs, with owner Marcela Da Costa. Pictures: Brittany Woodman (Image: Brittany Woodman)

Where does the tradition of Easter eggs come from?

The Easter holidays are celebrated because it marks the resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion.

But how did this occasion become associated with chocolate eggs?

It's thought to have come from the idea that eggs represent new life and rebirth - similarly to the resurrection of Jesus.

During medieval times people were forbidden to eat eggs during Lent, which is the 40-day period before Easter, so being able to crack into an egg - even though it wasn't the chocolate sort - was still an exciting prospect.

Eggs were also given to churches as Good Friday offerings and even royals got into the spirit of Easter.

In 1290, King Edward I purchased 450 eggs, which were decorated with various colours or had a gold leaf on them, which were given out to his household and it is thought the tradition grew from there.