Edible Easter Baskets (10 baskets)

Royal Icing

1. Count out the baking cups, Marie Biscuits and marshmallows and place it on a work surface.
2. Divide the eggs into 10 even heaps and set it aside.
3. To make the royal icing, separate a whole egg to get an egg white.
4. Have two small mixing bowls ready and place an egg separator on one of the bowls.
5. Tap the middle of the egg on the rim of the one small mixing bowl so that it cracks.
6. Push your thumbs into the crack and pull the two halves of the shell apart so that theegg falls through the egg separator. The egg white will fall into the mixing bowl and the egg yolk will be in the egg separator.
7. Transfer the egg yolk to a small ziplock bag and set it aside.
8. Do the same with the other egg.
9. Seal the ziplock bag and store it in the fridge. The egg yolks can be added to othereggs to make omelette, etc.
10. Transfer the egg white to a medium mixing bowl and beat it with an electric hand mixerto soft peak stage. Set it aside.
11. Place a sieve on a medium mixing bowl and set it aside.
12. Use a 250 ml measuring cup and scoop it full of icing sugar.
13. Use a table knife to level the top.
14. Transfer the icing sugar to the sieve.
15. Hold the sieve in one hand and tap it against the palm of your other hand so that the icing sugar falls through the sieve and into the mixing bowl.
16. Transfer the icing sugar to the bowl with the egg whites.
17. Add a few drops of lemon juice and gel food colour and beat with the electric handmixer until the mixture looks like melted marshmallow.
18. Transfer the royal icing to a ziplock bag (10 x 20 cm) and seal it.
19. Place the ziplock bag with the seal closest to you and push the icing to the other end with the back of a table knife.
20. Use kitchen scissors and cut a small opening from the one corner of the ziplock bag.
21. To make the baskets, pipe some royal icing on the rim of the baking cup.
22. Pipe some royal icing on the inside of the baking cup as well to keep the eggs in place.
23. Fill the basket with eggs.
24. Take a marshmallow twist and pipe a little of the royal icing on both ends.
25. Attach the marshmallow twist on the rim of the baking cup so that it looks like a handle.
26. Set the baking cup aside so that the royal icing can set. : egg white
    icing sugar, sifted
    lemon juice
    gel food colour (optional)
27. To make the base of the Easter Basket, work with one Marie Biscuit at a time and place it on a plate.
28. Pipe a border of royal icing along the edge of the Marie Biscuit.
29. Pipe some more royal icing in the middle of the Marie Biscuit.
30. Spread the royal icing evenly over the biscuit with a teaspoon so that the surface of the Marie Biscuit is covered in a thin layer of icing.
31. Place an baking cup in the centre of the Marie Biscuit to complete the basket.
32. Set the basket aside and do the same with the rest of the ingredients.
33. Transfer the Easter Baskets to a serving platter and serve immediately or store it in an airtight container for a few days.

Note

• Use King Twirl Mallow (available from Spar) or sour strips (available from Sunrise Sweets) for the handles of the Easter Baskets.

• The royal icing can be substituted with icing glaze. To make icing glaze, combine 250 ml sifted icing sugar, 75 ml milk and 5 ml vanilla essence in a mixing bowl and mix well.
Use as directed above.

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