CASCARONES - Confetti Eggs

I guess this post falls under the "and more" portion of my chocolate blog. I felt guilty about neglecting this blog after all the hopes and dreams I had for it.

My daughter Lily and her BF Brian made next Sunday's Easter Eggs yesterday. It was a moment designed to keep her happy, stress-free and relaxed as I hope we can accomplish before her surgery on the 17th. With the gathering of the Cordero Family on Easter weekend, Lily and my nephew Chase (4 years old) will be handing out these colorful confetti filled eggs to everyone in the family. (I heard that Chase might be dressed in an Easter Bunny outfit! I hope so. If he does, I'll take pictures.)

Have a lovely Easter.

CASCARONES

Cascarones are confetti-filled eggs that are enjoyed at Easter and many other holidays and fiestas in Mexico and the Mexican-American communities here in the United States. They have been a tradition for many centuries. It is said that not only will your wish come true if you break a confetti-filled egg on someone's head, but it will also bring that person some good luck. Here are the instructions on these easy-to-make confetti-filled cascarones. Enjoy them on Easter or any holiday or fiesta of your choosing. Make your own wishes come true and bring someone good luck while having some good old fashion fun!

1. Your first step is to prepare your eggshells. My family starts collecting shells about a month before Easter so that we can have plenty of them. Each time you use an egg, carefully crack open the pointy end of the egg with the back of a spoon. Lift off pieces of the egg shell and empty the egg white and yolk into a bowl. Rinse and set aside eggshells to dry.



2. The next step, after the eggshells are dry, is to color the shells. Use food coloring diluted in some warm water with a teaspoon of vinegar, or purchase any one of the commercial egg dyes available around Easter time.





3. You should now prepare your round tissue papers for covering the hole in the egg. Tissue of various colors add to the decorative nature of the cascarones; purple tissue on yellow-dyed eggs, blue tissue on pink eggs, etc. Have your confetti ready in a clean dry bowl. Do this while the dyed eggs are drying. Gather other coloring mediums to use on the eggs as well. My daughter likes to draw pictures on the dyed eggs with markers once they're filled and covered. Adds a nice, personalized touch.

4. Now it's time to fill the eggs with confetti. Set the dried eggs in the egg carton, hole-side up. Fill 1/2 to 3/4 full of colorful confetti. If confetti is not available, use a hole punch on some Sunday morning newspaper comics, it works just as well. When all the eggs are filled, apply a little glue (like Elmer’s) to the outer rim of the egg where the hole is. Place a round piece of tissue paper over the hole and press down gently on the tissue paper to adhere. Put the egg back in the egg carton to dry.




5. After the tissue has dried on the eggs decorate the cascarones with markers, paints, stickers, whatever suits your imagination. Fill a large bright basket on Easter Sunday with these colorful cascarones and watch the fun begin.