Here is a sweet little craft that was the brainstorm of Michelle at Green Kitchen and myself while we were getting ready to mold sugar skulls.

We were recalling the peekaboo Easter eggs made of sugar

were made of the same stuff and Michelle had an old candle form

and said: "I want to make peekaboo sugar mushrooms".

Well, I went home and decided I could put them together using regular dishes as molds.

And here is the tutorial so you can too!

Sugar 'Shroomies:

supplies:

white sugar

meringue powder

spray on color

powdered sugar

food color

(all non grocery items can be found where they sell cake decorating supplies)

Tools:

fork

various cups bowls and glasses

spoon

plate or stiff card board to invert and use as a base

icing bag or plastic bag with a small hole in one corner

No one step of this is very time consuming but the drying times are not to be trifled with.

Allow yourself enough time and plan ahead, setting timers and whatnot to ensure maximum success.

Even in those circumstances keep a sense of humor,

because the failure rate was about 50/50, for me, with the stems.

Step 1: Mix It Up

step1: mix up sugar, meringue and water in a 1 cup sugar to 1 tsp each of meringue powder and water.

mash around with a fork until it resembles damp sand.

Step 2: Press Into Molds

Step 2: Press into molds. Compacting as tightly as possible with palm of your hand.

I used a votive holder, a coffee cup and a half cup jam jar and a shot glass for stem molds.

I use a shallow bowl, a teacup, and small champagne glasses for the tops.

Step 3: Flip to Un-Mold

Step 3 : Cover mold with plate or heavy cardboard, then invert.

Step 4: Remove From Mold

step 4: Carefully remove mold and let dry for 2- 2 1/2 hours for stems.

Caps are done and should now be left somewhere safe to cure for 12 hours or so.

Step 5: Use Original Mold to Assist in Hollowing.

Step 5 Recover the semi dry sugar stem form with it's original mold and flip back over. Larger stems are the only ones with room to be hollowed out effectively. Shot glass sized stems should be left solid and I never hollowed out my caps at all.

Step 6: CAREFULLY Hollow Out Stem.

Step 6: Hollow out larger stem pieces. Leave a half inch wall of sugar. Let dry for another half an hour then remove par of the wall for a peekaboo door. Leave in the cup to dry overnight.

Step 7: Match Caps to Stems

Step 7:Match up your stems and caps. Just sit them GENTLY on top. Some will just go together better.

Step 8: Mix Icing

Step 8: Mix up Royal Icing. ( Recipe here.)
4 cups powdered sugar to1/4 cup meringue powder.
add 1/4 cup water and then a tsp at a time
until it holds some peaks but is all smooth.

Step 9: Assemble and Decorate the Mushrooms.

step 9: Color you Mushroom caps. Used spray food coloring for red and cocoa powder brushed on with a pastry brush for brown.

Now use icing to glue a small picture on the inside if you like. Use icing to glue cap to stem and stem to a base made of cardboard. Colored icing makes cute grass and flowers when piped from a pastry bag or plastic bag with a small hole in one corner. Pipe spots on a red cap.