Hand decorated eggs look lovely perched on a mantle piece or coffee table and make a great art project to keep the kids occupied during the Easter holidays.
The empty shells are sometimes called ‘blown out’ eggs because the contents of the egg can be removed by blowing air through a straw. Our multi-talented assistant food editor, Miriam Nice, walks us through a different technique using a baby aspirator (available at Boots, Amazon and more, from £5). You won’t have to put your mouth anywhere near raw yolk and even the smallest hands can help.
Get cracking…
… but not literally! The first task is to get the yolk and white out of the eggs without breaking the shell. To do this, you will need:
– A pin or safety pin
– A cocktail stick
– Two large bowls
– Washing up liquid
– Baby aspirator (new not used)
Five steps for blowing out eggs
1. Carefully pierce the egg by pushing a pin or safety pin in at either end.
2. Try to make the hole at the base (widest end) of the egg, large enough to fit a cocktail stick through. Push the cocktail stick into the egg to break the yolk, twist it around a few times then remove it.
3. Hold the egg over a clean bowl with the larger hole pointing downwards and press the aspirator over the smaller hole at the top and use it to pump air into the egg. The air will push the egg yolk and white out of the shell into the bowl below. Cover and pop in the fridge to use in cooking or baking.
4. Pop the empty shell into the second bowl and fill with warm water and washing up liquid. Use the aspirator again to pump soapy water through the egg shell.
5. Leave the shell to drain on kitchen towel. Once it’s completely dry, you’re ready to decorate!
Try our favourite designs
Now that your shells are completely empty and clean, it’s time to unleash your inner artist with Miriam’s easy-to-follow designs.
Go for glitter
For a simple, yet effective finish, dip the base of the egg in glue and then in glitter, and leave upside down in an eggcup to dry. For a really glitzy flourish, wait until the first half has dried, then brush the top with glue as well and roll in glitter for all-over sparkles.
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Get personal
Create a personalised gift by writing an initial, or spell out a whole name, by drawing one letter on each egg in a carton. Using a pencil first, draw out an outline then, once you’re happy, go over it in permanent marker. Fill in any spaces with a silver or gold marker pen or paint then allow to dry.
Clever chicks
All you need for this cute design is a pack of small, circular stationery stickers and a fine black permanent marker. Making sure that they’re evenly spaced, pop yellow sticky dots all over your egg. Then using the marker pen, make a dot in the middle for the eye, add a beak, cockscomb and some spindly legs.
Put them on show
To display your eggs on a table, fill a fruit bowl with coloured tissue paper to create a ‘nest’, or if you have enough egg cups to spare, create an eclectic display for a mantlepiece or windowsill.
To give them as a gift, paint the egg carton that you bought them in for a more portable present – just make sure your recipient doesn’t shake them before opening!
While you sit back and admire your handiwork, why not whip up something delicious using the egg whites and yolks that you’ve set aside? Take a peek at our favourite egg recipes, or try our top 10 ways with leftover egg whites and yolks.
Have you tried making decorated eggs for Easter? Share your decorating tips and tricks in the comments below.
