Easter Egg and Easter Bunny season is here! And to help me wait for the Easter bunny to bring his treats (yes, at monbento®, we’re just as interested in what goes in the containers as the containers themselves!), I decided to create this “Do-It-Yourself Mystery Easter Eggs” tutorial for you.
This original idea for Easter eggs decorated Fortune Cookie style was inspired by Poppytalk.
Tested and approved by our team, this tutorial will be fun for both grown-ups (for a special and personal Easter gift) and children (to give free rein to their creativity… and give the Easter bunny time to hide his eggs in the garden!). But safety first: some steps require the use of sharp objects, so take advantage of them for some togetherness…
To make these Mystery Easter Eggs, you’ll need:
– eggs (as lightly coloured as possible)
– food colouring
– white vinegar
– containers (glasses, jars) for each colour
– sharp point/sewing needle/knife point
– bowl
– paint (poster paint or acrylic)
– paintbrush
– paper
– felt tip pen
– box cutter or scissors
– container to hide your Mystery Eggs
Now, get to work!
Step 1: colour the eggs
> On a table, set out the desired number of containers – one container for each colour, and fill them with water.
> Add a bit of food colouring to each (about 20/30 drops of food colouring for 125 ml of water).
[TIP] Go wild: experiment with the quantities of food colouring to create one-of-a-kind colours!
> Add two teaspoons of white vinegar (the vinegar sets the colour).
FOR A SUPER DECORATIVE EFFECT: Got stripes on your mind? No need for a steady hand! Before dying your eggs, simply wrap rubber bands around your eggs! Easy!
> Soak your eggs in the coloured water for at least 30 to 45 minutes.
To ensure the colours are deep and rich, don’t scrimp on time. I left my eggs to soak overnight!
> Remove the eggs from the containers.
[TIP] If, like me, you’re not a fan of body painting, even if it stops at your fingertips, use a pair of tongs or a spoon to scoop out the eggs.
> Let the eggs dry for 15 to 30 minutes on an oven rack.
[TIP] If you’re in a hurry, give your eggs a blast with the hair dryer on the cold setting.
VARIANT: You can also dye your eggs with 100% natural dyes like turmeric, coffee, beets, etc., or use paint. To keep my eggs intact and most of all, to be able to show off creations that wouldn’t offend the human eye, I chose the simplest option.
Step 2: empty the eggs
> Poke a hole in each end of the eggs using a needle. Beware of your fingers! And of the eggs! For this step, you need to be GENTLE!
> Empty the contents of the eggs in a bowl. To do so, take a deep breath, and blow through one of the holes. It’s a lot of fun to do, especially for kids!
[TIP] If you’re having a hard time removing the contents, enlarge the holes.
> Drizzle some water through the eggs to clean out the inside and let dry.
And, since at monbento®, we don’t like to waste, especially food, use the contents of your eggs to try our new Tortilla with crisps and chorizo recipe: it’s delicious!
Step 3: decorate the eggs
> Express the artist in you, and decorate your eggs anyway you like.
DECORATION IDEAS: Poster paint, acrylic paint, glitter, ribbons, etc. anything goes to make your eggs pretty and original! I chose the simple route with painted polka dots and flowers (it feels like spring!).
[TIP] Do like I did and go crazy: instead of an ordinary paintbrush, try using cotton swabs, sponges or even toothbrushes! You’ll love the effects!
And don’t forget to share your most beautiful creations on the Clubento 🙂
Step 4: write your messages and insert them in your eggs
> Cut paper into strips (the size of the notes you used to pass your friends during class… Yes, we all did it, don’t deny it!).
> Write your secret messages and roll them up.
> Hide your messages inside the eggs, inserting them through one of the holes.
There you go; your Mystery Eggs are ready! Now you can surprise your family, friends or better half.
Have them break the eggs to discover the special message you sent them 😉
Happy Easter!
Thanks to Poppytalk for this tutorial idea and to Allrecipes for its natural egg dye recipes.