1 small red bell pepper, finely diced for decoration
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Fresh chives or parsley for the tree stems
Instructions
Boil and Cool the Eggs: Place your eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan and cover them with water by at least an inch. Bring the water to a full boil, then remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let them sit for 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process, which ensures the yolks remain bright and do not develop a gray ring.
Prepare the Egg Whites: Once the eggs are completely cool, gently crack the shells and peel them under cold running water. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Carefully slice each egg in half lengthwise and gently remove the yolks, placing them into a medium mixing bowl. Set the empty white halves aside on a serving platter or a clean plate.
Create the Green Filling: In the bowl with the yolks, add the ripe avocado, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use a fork or a hand mixer to blend the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The avocado provides the natural green color needed for the trees, but you can add a drop of green food coloring if you want a more intense emerald shade.
Pipe the Christmas Trees: Transfer the green yolk mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. This is the secret to getting that textured look that resembles pine needles. Starting at the center of the egg white cavity, pipe the filling in a swirling upward motion, creating a tall, tapered shape that looks like a miniature Christmas tree.
Decorate and Garnish: Now comes the fun part where you decorate your trees. Carefully place the tiny bits of diced red bell pepper onto the green filling to act as ornaments. Sprinkle a tiny bit of smoked paprika at the very top of each tree to represent a star or simply to add a smoky finish. You can also place a small piece of chive at the base to look like a tree trunk.
