Edible Easter crafts

Like any holiday, a good portion of the fun of Easter is the food and traditions associated with it. Here are some sweet crafts that even the little ones can help with.

Malted milk eggs topiary

These don't take very long to make. Several of them in different heights would look great as a centerpiece on your Easter table. You can use the smaller eggs, but it will take longer to cover.

Supplies:

• 1 bag of speckled malted milk eggs
• 1 4-inch round Styrofoam ball
• 1 Styrofoam block
• 1 dowel, about 1/4-inch in diameter, cut to preferred height
• About 100 toothpicks
• 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide ribbon
• Jelly beans
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 container
• Several chocolate sandwich cookies, optional

Instructions:

1. Put the foam block into the container.
2. Push the top of the dowel firmly into the Styrofoam ball.
3. Push the bottom of the dowel into the Styrofoam block.
4. Carefully push a toothpick into a malted milk egg and push it into the ball.
5. Continue until the Styrofoam ball is covered.
6. Wrap ribbon around the dowel and tie it in a bow just under the ball.
7. Push kale in around the block to help cover it.
8. Cover the top of the block with jelly beans for grass and flowers. For tulips, cut an X in the top of a jelly bean and pull the "petals" open. Don't cut all the way through.
9. Push toothpicks into cookies and add them as desired. You can also use crumbs as "dirt."

Variation: You can do the same thing with any shape Styrofoam and jelly beans, Peeps or other candy.

Easter bark

This is just like the almond bark you love but made with Easter candy.

Yield: Approximately one pound of Easter bark

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces of white chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup of chopped Easter candy such as malted milk eggs, chocolate eggs, Peeps, jelly beans and pastel M&Ms
• 3 tablespoons pastel sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Spread the melted chocolate on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.
2. Cover the chocolate with the chopped candy and sprinkles.
3. Place in the freezer until the chocolate hardens.
4. Remove the waxed paper and break the bark into pieces.

The carrot patch

This is extremely quick, easy and oh-so-cute. Chocolate carrots are placed pointed side down in containers. Guests can pick their own carrots.

Yield: 6 servings

Supplies:

• 1 cup crispy rice cereal or chocolate crispy rice cereal
• 6 chocolate carrots
• 1 container

Instructions:

1. Fill the container with the cereal.
2. Push the candy carrots pointed side down into the cereal, keeping the rows straight.

Cake batter crispy pops

These are your favorite marshmallow crispy bars with a twist — cake batter and sprinkles add color and flavor. Cut them in the traditional squares, or use bunny- and chicken-shaped cookie cutters, and place them on a stick.

Yield: 12 pops or one 13 x 9-inch pan

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 40 regular sized marshmallows, about 10 ounces
• 2/3 cup yellow cake mix with sprinkles
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal

Additional ingredients for the pops:

• 12 large lollipop or cake pop sticks
• Melted white chocolate
• Additional sprinkles
• Candy eyes
• Ribbon
• Cookie cutters in rabbit, chicken, duck or other Easter animals shapes

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan.
2. Add the marshmallows and stir until smooth and melted.
3. Stir in the cake mix until smooth.
4. Add the cereal and stir until it is completely coated.
5. Press into a greased 13 x 9-inch pan and refrigerate until firm.
6. Cut into squares.

For pops:

1. Once the mixture is firm, cut out shapes with the cookie cutter. If the cutter won’t go all the way through you may need to cut around it with a knife.
2. Glue on candy eyes with a bit of melted chocolate.
3. Chill the shapes until the chocolate has hardened and the eyes are securely on the shapes.
4. Carefully push a lollipop stick into the shape from the bottom.
5. Cover the back of the shape and the area around where the stick goes in with white chocolate. This will help stabilize the pop.
6. Chill with the chocolate side up until the chocolate it firm.
7. Tie a ribbon around the stick at the base of the crispy shape.

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