Prep Time: 3 hours, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
- ---- Materials Needed ----
- Sugar Mold Recipe (see below)
- Royal Icing Recipe (see below)
- egg molds, or 3D egg pan
- oodles of dried icing flowers
- green colored coconut
- small plastic bunnies and chicks
- tiny jelly beans
- pieces of cardboard
- pieces of foil (same size as cardboard)
- decorating tips and bags
- plastic wrap or clear plastic from any packaging
- ---
- ---- Molding Sugar Ingredients----
- 1 egg white
- 2-1/2 pounds granulated sugar
- ---
- ---- Royal Icing Ingredients ----
- 3 level tablespoons meringue powder or 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 3-1/2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
Preparation:
Make Sugar Mold recipe (directions below). Firmly press sugar mixture into your dry clean molds. If they seem sticky or damp in any way, lightly dust them with corn starch. Level the mixture off in the shell. Place a piece of foil and cardboard on the leveled shell. Carefully flip it over so that you can lift the mold off. From the pointed end of the mold, trim off 1", vertical to the cardboard. Carefully fold foil up to the new flat trimmed area. This allows where you want to scoop out for an opening to stay moist while the shell dries. Depending on the moisture in the air ( NOT the time to boil a lot of water or steam clean the carpets) allow the shells to set for approximately 2 hours. Moving the foil on the end allows you to carefully check for how thick your shell is getting.When the shells are approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, carefully, using the cardboard base with one hand and one hand supporting the egg, flip to expose the moist side. Carefully scoop the moist sugar back into the original mixing bowl. It is reusable for another set of shells. Set the shells on the cardboard again (without the foil) to allow any remaining moisture to dry.
When all your shells are COMPLETELY dry: Set the two halves on the table (covered with a soft towel to prevent scratching). Apply a coating of icing in the bottom of the shell to hold the coconut. Arrange a scene in the bottom half of the egg using small plastic figures, colored coconut and tiny jelly beans. Use icing as glue to hold your scene in place.
Start gluing (with icing) flowers around the back end of the egg. Allow some of the flowers to come up above the edge by a small amount. This will help hide the seam. Apply more flowers to the back of the top half. With clean hands, test putting the halves together to see how close your flowers will come together. When your happy with the arrangement, fill in the area between the flowers with leaves. Using a piping tube, place a bead of icing on the top of the bottom edge. Place the two halves together. Scrape off any excess seam glue. Set aside and allow all of the icing to completely dry. After all the icing, on and in the egg, is completely dry: Cut a piece of plastic to fit the window opening. Glue it in place with icing. Cut a circle of cardboard the size of the bottom of your egg. Use icing to glue it to the bottom of the egg to protect wood surfaces from being scratched by the sugar. Allow to completely dry again.
Once its dry, place the egg on a turntable and make a row of border decoration along the seam and then around your window. Decorate the top of the egg with flowers and leaves. You can personalize with a name above the window.
Notes And Tips:
- Make sure your molds are completely clean and dry when you start or start a new batch.
- Don't use the same molds that you want to use for chocolate - sugar scratches the surface.
- Allow each step to dry completely.
- Eggs can be kept for years, as long as you keep them dry.
- The egg pictured has extended cardboard under it, covered with flowers for a base.
- Make a note for the Easter Bunny to put new toothbrushes in the Easter Baskets.
- Make a dentist appointment if the kids decide to eat them! :)
- Many people have asked where you can get the molds. The ones I have are Wilton. Any place that carries a Wilton catalog or Wilton supplies should have them. I did find Wilton on line. I did not find the egg molds listed in their on line catalog, but you can order the catalog. You can also order the Wilton Year book at Klein's and surf the online catalog to order from them. They have very reasonable prices and do carry the supplies you would need.
Molding Sugar Directions
Mix water and meringue powder until thoroughly dissolved. Add sugar and mix thoroughly until moisture is thoroughly distributed though the sugar.
