Baby Shower Luncheon: Pressed Sugar Bassinets

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Charming Baby Shower Luncheon

How easy is it to design an elegant centerpiece for a baby shower luncheon – Just gather up old or borrowed dolls and place in a small carriage or doll’s chair. When guests arrive, offer them a glass of punch in a tall wine glass. Tie a miniature pink rose bud with a thin piece of blue satin ribbon on each glass stem. As favors for each guest, make sugar bassinets and fill with pastel almonds or M&M’s.

Sugar Bassinet

Here’s What You Need:
* Panoramic sugar molds found at party and craft supply stores or the Wilton’s Sugar Egg Kit. The molds are plastic and usually come in three sizes: large (5 1/2-inches), medium (4-inches), and small (3-inches). The egg-shaped molds are divided length-wise into two pieces with one flat side and one rounded side.
* Cookie sheet, knife, 6-inch square piece of cardboard, cornstarch
* Recipe for Pressed Sugar
* Recipe for Royal Icing Glue
* Ribbon, 1/2-inch wide and 10-inches long, for a bow for each bassinet

Here’s What To Do:
1. Use the 3-inch size mold for making the bassinets as seen in the picture. For each bassinet, there is one flat side to the egg mold (bottom) and one rounded side (top). Rub cornstarch into each half of the molds and shake out any excess.
2. Make a recipe of pressed sugar and fill the two molds with the sugar mixture, rounding on top so you have enough sugar to press down. Place a piece of cardboard over the top and press down to pack solidly.
3. Holding the cardboard over the top, invert the flat-sided mold onto a cookie sheet and pull the cardboard out from under the egg very carefully. Remove the mold very slowly. Next invert the rounded side onto the cookie sheet. This is the top of the bassinet. After carefully removing the plastic mold, slice with a knife to 1 1/2-inches or in half. Move the two separated halves apart slightly and allow all to dry. The drying time will vary due to temperature and humidity, but the small egg usually takes about 2 to 3 hours. The egg forms a thin shell as it dries. After the outside has hardened to 1/4-inch thick, use a teaspoon to hollow (scrape) out the excess sugar carefully leaving a hollow shell.
4. Make a recipe of Royal Icing Glue, and using a little icing, attach the top of the bassinet to the bottom. Pipe with icing as in the picture and attach a ribbon bow on top.
5. Fill with blue or pink almonds or M&M’s or your favorite candy.

Recipe for Pressed Sugar
3 1/2 cups of granulated sugar (we love Domino Sugar)
1 large egg white, room temperature
Mix the sugar and egg white in a bowl and whisk until the egg white is thoroughly incorporated into the sugar. The sugar will look damp.

Recipe for Royal Icing Glue
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
Beat egg whites and water until foamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy with soft peaks. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of icing. If it is not stiff enough, just add a little more sugar. If it is too stiff, add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time. It dries quickly, so keep the icing covered with a damp cloth while you are working and do not make too far ahead.

Images: tablescape and sugar bassinets by Phronsie’s Tables