Project

Sugar Eggs

Think of this crafts project as a modern take on the Victorian era’s ornate panorama sugar eggs. The palette of earthy pastels -- created with drops of ordinary food coloring -- is sweet but not cloying, and the eggs can be left solid (as decorations) or hollowed out to become containers for treats.

Photography: Gentl and Hyers

Source: Martha Stewart Living, April 2014

Introduction

Sources

Egg molds (#E090, #E095, #E423, #E427), from $2 each, lifeofthepartymolds.com

materials

Ultrafine (“bar”) sugar, or light-brown sugar

Food coloring

Plastic clamshell egg mold

Cardboard, cut slightly larger than mold

Sandpaper

Egg white

steps

Mix 3 tablespoons water with 2 pounds ultrafine sugar until it reaches a packable consistency (similar to that of brown sugar); add 2 or 3 drops food coloring, a tiny bit at a time, until desired color is reached. (Or just use brown sugar, without water or dye mixed in.)
Tightly pack sugar into mold half and smooth top as much as possible.
Lay cardboard over top of mold, press down with one hand while holding mold with other, and flip. Gently remove mold. If shape crumbles or ridged design is not clear, pack again and repeat. If making solid eggs, let dry overnight. If making containers, let dry 3 hours.
To make containers, hollow out each egg half with a spoon, leaving a 1/3-inch border all around. Reserve scooped sugar in zip-top bag. Let dry overnight, then lightly sand exposed edges so halves fit together.
To make solid eggs, fuse halves together by brushing exposed edges with egg white and pressing together. If gaps at seam are visible, fill with reserved sugar.