Sugar Skulls Recipes

Steps:

• For the skull: Combine the granulated sugar and meringue powder in a bowl, then add 2 teaspoons water and mix by hand until it feels like moist sand. Check if there is enough moisture by squeezing some sugar paste in your hand; if it maintains its shape, it's ready to mold. If it falls apart, add more water until you reach the desired consistency.
• Continue to stir the sugar mixture as you mold the skull, to keep the moisture evenly distributed. Press the sugar paste into the front skull mold. Scrape off and clean the back of the mold with a bench scraper, then unmold the skull onto a piece of cardboard. Repeat with the back skull mold. Let the skull halves dry 8 hours or overnight.
• For the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Mix slowly with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks; the icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. Apply a thin layer of icing to the flat side of one of the skull halves, then use it to "glue" the two halves together. Let sit until dry, about 1 hour.
• Add food coloring to the icing (divide into several colors, if desired) and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Transfer icings to small piping bags fitted with decorating tips and decorate the skulls as desired. Let sit until dry, 3 to 4 hours.

Steps:

• Note: you will also need to purchase: metal sequins for decorating eyes [the zaar computer about had a stroke with that in the ingredients].
• Whisk powdered egg whites and water together until foamy. Add vanilla extract and corn syrup. Whisk until blended. Add powdered sugar. With a spoon, and then by hand, mix until a firm paste forms.
• Dust a jelly-roll pan with 1 cup of the cornstarch. Knead sugar paste in cornstarch for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and pliable. Roll the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it until chilled.
• Begin by forming dough into round balls, each about the size of a small fist. Use more cornstarch to prevent sticking, if needed.
• Use your hands to sculpt the ball into a skull shape. Sculpt eye and nose hollows with your thumbs or a blunt knife.
• To prepare the icing, whisk powdered egg white and water together until foamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Divide mixture into two small bowls. Add red food coloring and cinnamon extract to one and blue food coloring and peppermint extract to the other. Mix to blend the colors in each bowl.
• Fill two pastry bags with icing mixtures. Decorate skulls with icing. Allow objects to dry. Weather conditions affect drying times. Skulls may take anywhere from several hours to 48 hours to fully dry.
• If you have bought your alfeniques [candy skulls] and would like to add chocolate candy, the directions are simple.
• Melt your favorite chocolate in a double boiler. White chocolate looks best with the skulls.
• Use a funnel with a rounded stopper to pour your chocolate (or use a spoon, messier but less expensive) into shaped molds. Wipe any drips off the edges of your molds and place in the freezer until the mold appears frosted and the candies hard. More time is better than less. Flip the mold over and tap lightly over a towel. Any candies that do not drop out easily should be placed in the freezer a little longer.