what came first, the sugar skull or the sugar panoramic easter egg? i have no idea. but they are constructed out of the same sugar mixture. calaveras de azúcar as they are correctly known, start with sugar, meringue powder and a tad of water.
decorating my kitchen with these colorful and attractive mexican papel picado get me into the spirit of the day of the dead or dia de los muertos.
i’ve got out my super duper extra large festively colored popcorn bowl so that i have room to mix my ingredients. as i pour the 5 pounds of while sugar, i notice the sun glinting off the crystals. it reminds me of freshly fallen snow illuminated by full moon on a cold winter night. i can almost see the stars twinkle over head.
i scatter a quarter of a cup of meringue powder over the sugar. the exotic name “meringue” sound like a fancy alchemical ingredient, but, it’s really pretty much just powdered egg whites.
in order for the magical transformation to take place, the sugar and meringue powder must be carefully and thoroughly mixed. i take no chances with this very important step. i dive right in and put my heart and soul into mixing. feel free to do the same with your sugar mix.
in preparation of the final mixing process, i sprinkle exactly 3 tablespoons of water over the sugar mixture. precision is important. too little and the sugar will not hold together, too much and… well, lets just say it’s not pretty.
in the tradition of the oaxacan sugar masters, i become one with the mixture. the sweet smell of the sugar envelopes me in the aroma of happiness. it is moist and cool under my feet. like a day at the beach but without the rotting fish head smell.
the sugar has started to clump together. this is a very good sign. the ultimate texture is when a handful of sugar is squeezed, finger prints will be left behind.
since i don’t actually have any fingers of my own, i have asked a friend to execute this vital adherence. yep, that’s just what i’m looking for. the mixing is officially completed. (i do hope she washed her hands first)
it is essential to use molds when making skulls. i always have several on hand. my objective is to pack the mold with as much sugary mixture as it will hold.
i like pack the sugar tightly into the mold with a few well placed dance steps. today, i’m using a few fancy salsa steps. ole!
care must be taken when unmolding the skull onto a sturdy piece of cardboard. this is a technique that i perfected at the beach making sand castles. there’s no pressure, though. any goof-ups can be returned to the sugar bowl and reused.
now tell me, is this not a good looking skull? looking it i reflect upon the impermanence of all things and how fragile human or terrycloth life is.
gazing upon my skulls, i ponder the meaning of this holiday – the day of the dead. a day devoted to remembering our dear loved ones who have died. a day when, as they say, the veil between the two worlds of life and death is lifted just a little and we are closer to the departed. what a great day!
now, i must ponder cleaning up the kitchen as the sugar skulls dry. i remember my non-terry cloth great grandmother used to wear a festive apron when she washed her dishes. one of these sugar skulls will have a colorful apron in her honor
after several hours, it’s time to scoop out the moist sugar inside the skull. this sugar has not dried yet and i can mold more sculls from this sugar.
precision must be used when hollowing out the skulls, one false move and you could take one of the skulls eye sockets right out! the sugar skulls must now sit until completely dry. how long is that? well, that just depends on the temperature and humidity.
for the next 9 minutes, i’ve got 2/3 cup of water, 1/2 cup meringue powder and 2 pounds of confectioners’ taking a spin to create royal icing. this kind of frosting is pretty icky tasting, but it dries like cement and that’s what i’m looking for in a frosting today. (you brits call confectioners sugar icing sugar.)
just a little dab spread around the edges is all that’s needed to secure the fronts and backs of the skulls together.
doctors please note: this is not an approved method for closing up after any type of cranial surgery.
again, it’s time of the sugary glue to dry before we can proceed with decorating. this is the perfect time get out old family photos to look at, assemble my cake decorating goodies and other craft items to decorate my sugar skulls.
if you purchased your or had a pal make your sugar skulls, welcome! thanks for joining us. let’s get decorating!
first decide if you want your skulls to be edible or just for decoration. if you’re going for decorative only, you can use anything you can stick onto the skull. i’ve chosen foil to make this skull’s eyes, but i could have used sequins or gems. edible skulls must be handled only with clean hands and decorated with icing only. there’s nothing like gagging on an inedible decoration on a sugar skull to ruin your day of the dead celebration, you know.
i’ve divided my royal icing and tinted it different colors with gel food coloring. a full palate of colors let me be expressive and make my skulls as individual as the people i make them for.
for a friend who loved gardening and was a fancy dresser, i decorate a skull with a lovely flower and very fashionable icing earrings.
occasionally i like to customize a skull with the name of the dear departed or a friend that i plan to give the skull too. i think i got a little impersonal with the “your name here” don’t you?
of course i always like to make a sugar skull in honor of some of my favorite departed artists… andy warhol, for instance.
it’s important to me to embellish the skulls i make with personal details that i remember about my dead friends.
ron enjoyed a cigarette from time to time, so, his sugar skull gets to enjoy one too. of course, i don’t approve of smoking, so, i have provided a nice belgian chocolate cigarette as a worthy substitution.
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some of my skulls are just fantastic artistic expression. this one was inspired by intricate tattoos done in the pacific islands or the delicate temporary henna tattoos of the middle east, don’t you think?
we make quite a stunning looking group, don’t we? soon these little skullies will be given to friends or placed on the altar that i have made to honor my ancestors and loved ones who have passed on. our time together was brief, but sweet.
my friend angela has all the goodies and instruction on how to make your own sugar skulls! drop by and visit her at www.mexicansugarskull.com
[...] day of the Dead would be complete without a sugar skull? Here's a "how-to" guide on how to make them. For the lazy or cooking impaired … check out the little stores in the Pilsen [...]