Easter Eggs!

Last month at Cooking Group--Brook taught us how to make, assemble and decorate these adorable easter eggs!  I just love these--I think they are the cutest things ever and I show everyone that comes to my house.  The kids think they are magical--we even named our bunny...Peter.

Camille, Amy and Brook were soooo kind to make us all of our sugar easter eggs.  However, if you aren't as spoiled...here is the recipe...

Sugar Mold Recipe (from Wilton):

4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbs. water
2 tsp. white meringue powder

Place sugar in large mixing bowl.  For extra strength, or if you live in an area that ha high humidity, add 2 tsps. Meringue to mixture.  Mix sugar so there are no lumps in it.  Make a well in sugar, then add water.  Rub mixture between your hands and knead for about 1 minute or until well-blended and mixture packs like wet sand. 

Makes 1 large egg, 2 medium eggs or 3 small eggs.

Some other tips... 

It helps to keep a damp paper towel over the sugar mixture--to keep it from drying out too quickly.  Also, if you want to color your sugar, add the color to the water before you mix it all.  Add the color sparingly, lightly tinted sugar makes the prettiest eggs.

After you mix and color sugar mixture, dust mold with cornstarch to prevent sticking.  Pack sugar mixture into half egg mold, pressing firmly with heel of hand. 
To remove excess sugar, hold metal spatula at 45 degree angle to egg mold and scrape off excess sugar.  Unmold at once by placing cardboard circle over mold and turning mold upside down.  To loosen mold, tap top of mold with spatula.  Carefully lift mold off.

Let egg dry for 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature or place in 200 degree oven for a few minutes.  Cool to room temp. before touching.  Also, be careful not to dry the egg out too completely, or hollowing the egg will be almost impossible!!!

Then... turn egg right side up and carefully hold in palm of hand.  Do not squeeze or move egg while it's in your hand or it will crack!  Use a spoon or toothpicks to mark 1/4 in. thick shell on the inside rim of egg and gently scoop out soft sugar following the countour of the egg.  (If your egg does crack, wet and fill crack with sugar mold mixture, then carefully press together.)  After sugar is scooped out, smooth inside and opening of egg with your fingers.

Place egg right side up on cardboard circle to finish drying for about 24 hours or place egg halves on cookie sheet in 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Now for the fun part!!  Angie made some adorable bunnies and chicks for us to decorate our eggs with.  And we had a rainbow of frosting colors to choose from.

It was fun to see all the different things that people did with their eggs.  All so cheery and festive!

Thanks again Brook and everyone that helped with the preparations!  For some the royal icing recipe and tips click here and here.