We had a request from a Kitchn reader for a tutorial on making sugar eggs like family members had made in the past. We're always ready for a challenge and checked into assorted tutorials online. After multiple failed attempts (the tutorials lied) we have the method down pat and are here to share our simple secrets with you!
What You Need
Materials
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg white
Food coloring (liquid or gel)
Royal Icing
Coconut
Equipment
Small Bowl
Large Mixing Bowl
Fork
Egg Mold
Pastry Bag + Tip
1 tablespoon measuring spoon
Parchment Paper/Silpat
Instructions
1. Mix Sugars: Combine both sugars in a large mixing bowl, combine with fork.
2. Separate Egg White: Mix in food coloring of choice to egg white, add more than you think you need (either 1/8 teaspoon gel or 20 drops liquid). Once combined with the sugar it will lighten to a pastel. Whip until combined with fork and slightly frothy (but not whipped).
3. Add Egg To Mix: Stir until combined. Use fork to press out small clumps of egg/coloring until color is completely even. Once you think you've stirred enough, stir a little more. The patchy-ness of the color will be sneaky!
4. Press Into Molds: We used a large plastic egg that originally held Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, it's roughly 6 inches tall and already came with a flat back and bottom. You can find other molds at the craft stores (though we came up empty handed when we went looking... but we know they exist somewhere!). Pack sugar in tight so there's no cracks or holes.
5. Scoop Out Middle: Now this is where it gets a little tricky. It's not because it actually is, but because it's something that has to be done when you're calm and with a steady hand. Other tutorials said to let the mixture par-set and then come back to scoop, but each time we tried this method the structure crumbled in our hand (there were tears).
So... with the mixture packed into the egg, you want to scoop out using a small spoon or measuring spoon, just like you were scooping ice cream. After each scoop remove the sugar. Your goal is to make a hole in the back that continues down to what will be the front of the egg. Hollow things out and allow it to sit for 1 hour. Flip it out onto parchment or a Silpat and allow to harden overnight. Repeat the same process for the opposite side of the egg, but only make a hollowed area without going all the way through to the back of the egg (this side will be the back). Repeat same drying process.
Any additional sugar can be kept for 3 hours with a damp towel placed on top. Any longer and it gets a little smelly, but if you have a crack or a break, it makes it easy to just remold if you still have mix on hand.
6. Clean Edges: Once each egg is dry, you can rub the two halves together to smooth the flat sides so they'll fit together easier. You can also use your finger to rub away small spikey bits of sugar to smooth out your opening.
7. Attach Halves: Using Royal Icing, we "glued" the two halves together and then piped a border around the seam and opening. Hopefully your line will be a little straighter than ours. If you have multiple small items to go inside your dioramas you can attach them with royal icing before you glue the halves together, though we found it easier to do this after.
8. Add In Figures: Using small toys, paper cut outs or whatever you want really... make yourself a little scene. We glued ours down with Royal Icing and added green coconut along the bottom (also attached with icing).
Additional Notes:
With care, these eggs will last many, many years and are a fun thing to make with kids. Although they probably can't make them on their own, there's several parts they would have a blast helping out with! Store with tissue paper and a silica packet if you have one in a sturdy box so your icing doesn't get crushed. Make sure to send us pictures!
• Related: Spring Treat: How To Make Golden Chocolate Easter Eggs
(Images: Sarah Rae Trover)
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
TW Salt Mill by Wil...
Which Wall Color Gives the Best Sleep?
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Around 1969 my family (both p's and 5 kids) made eggs like these, but with winter scenes, and we sold them to buy a good old record player. We made all of our decorations with royal frosting - just squirted them onto wax paper, and then set them in the scene. No need for that shiny paper (although it is cute).
Nice post for helping me relive the memories.
My mom never made these sugar eggs but they sure are pretty! Are you supposed to eat them? My mom would make us home made root beer and whoopie pies (a big thing in New England) in the summertime.
lazy_lurker: I really wanted to put in little pink "Easter Ninjas" from the quarter machines at the grocery store... but went with these instead. Making your own works just as well, I just didn't have the time!
FengShuiByFishgirl: You don't eat them, they're just a keepsake once they are all dry. If you make up some of these, you can still have root beer and whoopie pies during! Sounds like a great match up!
Very similar to sugar skulls. We made some 3 years back and they're still good. I guess they don't hold together well if you make them on damp or rainy days.
Humidity can be a factor, but you can make them and while drying if you're having trouble, put them in a box with with some silica (sold at craft stores) and allow them to finish curing in there. Once dry, you'll be just fine.
Wow! You did a fantastic job making Sugared Easter Eggs. Good job. I know it isn't easy to make the hollowed shells but you did it! This will be a good Easter project for us. I loved peeking in the egg's opening at the decorative, icing scenery when i was younger.
We spent much of yesterday experimenting with natural egg dyes so this would be a fun and very contrasting project. I think I have a big plastic egg I was saving for a potential model rocket nosecone. I'll have to go check...
I loved making these as a kid! We would try to get the sugar shells as thin as possible without cracking or falling apart. The best ones were so thin that you could see light and shadows through the shell, about 1/8-1/16" thick!
Just fyi, though, if you plan on keeping these for more than a couple of years, you might try sealing them with a clear coat, as the sugar and icing will discolor over time.
safarikate - I tried making the shells extra thin and I'm apparently just too heavy handed. After 15 rounds of tears and storming out of the kitchen when they collapsed, I went with a thicker, more manageable, not to mention fool-proof method! I envy those who can make thin ones!
Trust me, it took a LOT of practice, and a lot of sugar eggs gave their lives in the struggle. But we were young, and determined, and there was a purple ribbon at the county fair on the line. I won't be making these again anytime soon. :)
Also, I was just thinking, it could be that the egg you're mixing with the sugar is making it clump, so you have to use more force to scoop out the sugar, breaking the eggs. We just used sugar, water, and food coloring. We always unmolded the (still full) eggs onto a cake board and let them par-set overnight so the sugar would form a crust, then scooped them out and let them finish hardening. The trick for the opening is to slice off a piece of sugar mixture from the front piece, but leave the piece on top of the egg, and it will easily separate from the main body of the egg when you hollow it out. Not that this helps after Easter anyway, but I thought I'd share.