Sugar Easter Eggs

When I was little, I remember one of these sugar eggs being up in the dish cupboard - - I think my mother must have made it at a cake decorating class. I have always been fascinated with sugar Easter eggs, and finally tried making some a few years ago. They were very easy to make, and so pretty. The other day, Camden and I invited some friends to come to our house and make some with us, and we had a great time. That's Camden's egg on the left, along with the one we made for Camden's friend, Josie.

Molding Sugar

5 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Wilton meringue powder (you can purchase a can of this in the cake decorating section at your local Walmart)
3 1/2 tablespoons water (if you would like colored sugar - - we made ours blue - - simply add a few drops of food coloring to the water, before you mix it with the sugar)

Mix the meringue powder with the sugar in a large bowl(use a whisk to evenly distribute). Then add the water. Mix with a wooden spoon at first, but then use your hands to ensure it is well mixed. You will want it to look and feel like wet sand:
Next, pack the mixture firmly into each half of your mold. Wilton sells rather expensive molds, but you can easily go to the Easter section at any store and purchase a plastic Easter egg - - the one I got was about 4 inches long or so, and was probably filled with candy or something. Much cheaper than buying an actual sugar mold kit. Level the top of the mold with a knife so the surface is flat. Unmold by inverting onto a smooth surface. Take a sharp knife and cut off the narrow end of the egg (this will be the area you "peek" into, once it is put together). Do the same with the other half o the egg, cutting off equal amounts so the halves will match up.

Let the molds dry for about 3 hours. Gently pick up each half and hollow out with a spoon, creating an oval bowl. I had to gently break away the hardened sugar on the "peek" end with my fingers. You can save the sugar that you scoop out, to make more eggs with. Just put it back in a bowl and cover it with a wet dish towel to keep it moist. Once they are all hollowed out, let them dry for an additional 30 minutes (hollowed side up).

Royal Icing
1 lb. confectioners sugar

3 tablespoons meringue powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

5-7 tablespoons lukewarm water

Combine all the ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer. Turn speed to high and mix for 5-7 minutes, until very stiff peaks form. Put icing into a decorating bag. This is your "glue", as well as icing for decorating. Pick what you want to put in your egg. We used little Wilton sugar decorations of bunnies and chicks, but you can use any kind of small animals, etc. Glue them to the bottom of the egg with the royal icing. You can then add some Easter grass around your items. Then, pipe some icing around the top of the egg half, and then add the top of the egg. Pipe around the seam of the egg, as well as around the peep hole. You can add silver dragees for extra decoration if you'd like. It takes a few hours for the royal icing to set, so place them away from little hands for 3 hours or more. If stored carefully, these eggs will keep for years.