Blown Eggs

Preparation Leave the eggs in the carton while you pierce them. Place the pin point-down against the top of the egg and lightly tap the pin head with the back of the spoon until it pierces the egg. Insert the wooden skewer into the egg and gently press it down until it pierces the bottom of the egg. Remove the egg from the carton, hold it over the glass, and push the skewer up and down through the contents several times to break the yolk. Remove the skewer and place a straw over the hole. Blow through the straw until the contents of the egg are emptied into the glass. Rinse blown eggs in warm water and dry with a paper towel or let them dry in a clean egg carton. Before decorating, gently wash the inside and outside of the empty eggshells with dishwashing detergent and rinse them. If water remains inside a shell, use a straw to blow it out. Let the eggs dry thoroughly on a rack (see tip, below) or in their carton. Note: If the eggs are to be filled with candies, sterilize them instead of just washing. Fill a saucepan with water. Place the blown eggs in the water one at a time, holding each one down until it fills with water and stays submerged. Make sure the eggs are covered with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs to a drying rack (see tip, below) and let them drain as much as possible. When they are cool enough to handle, drain any remaining water by blowing it out with a straw. Submerge the eggs in a bowl of cool water and then drain again. Transfer them to an egg carton and let stand at room temperature to dry. Tip:To create a rack to hold the eggs while they're being painted or drying: Cut wooden skewers into 7-inch lengths. Insert them into a block of Styrofoam, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart so you can support a blown egg on each without the eggs touching. To use the rack, remove the skewers, insert each into an egg, angling the egg a bit so the top of the skewer supports the shell and doesn't go through the top hole, paint the egg, and then reinsert the skewer into the foam. Reprinted with permission from Easter Eggs: 40 Fabulous Projects for the Whole Family by Matthew Mead, © 2007 Chronicle Books

Preparation Leave the eggs in the carton while you pierce them. Place the pin point-down against the top of the egg and lightly tap the pin head with the back of the spoon until it pierces the egg. Insert the wooden skewer into the egg and gently press it down until it pierces the bottom of the egg. Remove the egg from the carton, hold it over the glass, and push the skewer up and down through the contents several times to break the yolk. Remove the skewer and place a straw over the hole. Blow through the straw until the contents of the egg are emptied into the glass. Rinse blown eggs in warm water and dry with a paper towel or let them dry in a clean egg carton. Before decorating, gently wash the inside and outside of the empty eggshells with dishwashing detergent and rinse them. If water remains inside a shell, use a straw to blow it out. Let the eggs dry thoroughly on a rack (see tip, below) or in their carton. Note: If the eggs are to be filled with candies, sterilize them instead of just washing. Fill a saucepan with water. Place the blown eggs in the water one at a time, holding each one down until it fills with water and stays submerged. Make sure the eggs are covered with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs to a drying rack (see tip, below) and let them drain as much as possible. When they are cool enough to handle, drain any remaining water by blowing it out with a straw. Submerge the eggs in a bowl of cool water and then drain again. Transfer them to an egg carton and let stand at room temperature to dry. Tip:To create a rack to hold the eggs while they're being painted or drying: Cut wooden skewers into 7-inch lengths. Insert them into a block of Styrofoam, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart so you can support a blown egg on each without the eggs touching. To use the rack, remove the skewers, insert each into an egg, angling the egg a bit so the top of the skewer supports the shell and doesn't go through the top hole, paint the egg, and then reinsert the skewer into the foam. Reprinted with permission from Easter Eggs: 40 Fabulous Projects for the Whole Family by Matthew Mead, © 2007 Chronicle Books