For eight years, HBO's Game of Thrones has enthralled fans with its cast of memorable characters and, of course, dragons. Among the countless loyal viewers of the show, are Mark Libertini and his wife Rachel Kellner, who own Aigner Chocolates on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills.
In fact, they love it so much that for the eighth and final season of the show, which began last month, they decided to pay tribute to it in the best way they know how.
"I've always wanted to do the Dragon eggs, and with the last season coming around, we thought this is our final chance to do it," said Mark.
Libertini had molds created so he could make the chocolate dragon eggs, but surly it’s more complicated than that. So, we got the skinny on how these shiny and scaly looking treats get made.
HOW TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE DRAGON EGG
"We paint the inside of the mold with two different colors of cocoa butter and then we let that set. We fill the mold with either dark or milk chocolate and then after we unmold it, we decorate it again. And then it has to get wrapped and bowed and put in the chest," Mark said.
A similar process is used to make chocolate dragons. There are even dire wolf lollipops, which the Stark family would approve of.
Libertini says the Game of Thrones inspired treats have been a big hit.
"We were shipping eggs all over the country, as well as people walking in and getting them, and we are already getting orders for the last episode for celebrations and for parties," Mark said.
This extends the chocolate selling season for Aigner's that tends to get a bit slower after Easter. The store has been in the neighborhood since 1930, and Libertini and Kellner are the third family to own the shop.
"We get people that shop for their grandkids that tell us stories that they were here when they were children and their grandparents were buying for them,” Mark said. “So it's really great and heartwarming when you hear those type of stories and you are able to carry on the tradition."
If you stop into Aigner Chocolates, take a picture of the dragon eggs and tag them, because you get a 10% discount and a chance to win an entire chest of dragon eggs and dragons.
To find out more, head to AignerChocolates.com.