Easter Table Center Peeps

18.04.2011 Jackie Dodd-Mallory (Senior Editor) 3 Comments

Peeps, love ‘em or hate ‘em, will always conjure up spring time memories of pastel plastic baskets and egg hunts on the back lawn. Even as a kid I was never a huge fan of sugar coated sugar in the shape of farm animals, but I would have been disappointed had I not seen a row of co-joined marshmallow quadruplets on top of my green plastic Easter Grass. This center piece (oh, excuse me, Center Peep) was made to bring those lovely memories into my current day celebration, a way to reminisce without the calories.

Materials (per one center peep)

One empty ribbon spool, about a half inch wide

9 Bunny Peeps (I used Yellow)

1 green chick Peep

Wilton’s Candy Melts (can be used in the color of your bunnies, or in white)

1 plastic squeeze bottle, like a mustard bottle (can be found most craft stores, restaurant supply stores and sometimes grocery stores)

1 wooden skewer

Hot glue gun, with glue

Sprinkles in the color of your bunny

Floral Foam

1 Terra Cotta pot (or any color that you choose)

1 sheet of tissue paper

Start by ripping the ribbon spool apart so that you just have the middle cardboard hoop

The hot glue the flat end of the wooden skewer to the hoop and don’t be shy with the hot glue, really slather it on for a strong hold.

The pull your bunnies apart and castrate them (yikes!) so that their bottom is flat

Then put about 3/4 cup of candy melts in the squeeze bottle. Put in the microwave for thirty seconds, remove and shake a bit. Repeat until candy is melty and squeezes out of the bottle easily.

Squirt a bit of the candy melts on the freshly exposed bunny undercarriage

Push against the cardboard ring. I made two of these and the easiest way to do it is to start close to the stick and crowd the bunnies close together so that all nine will fit on the ring.

The rim the exposed carboard ring with the candy melts. This makes it look prettier as well as provides a stronger hold for the rouge bunny. Before the candy melts dry, cover it with the sprinkles.

The take your green chick peep and cut a bit of an angle where his shoulder would be

Fill his cut with the candy melt and place him on the stick, a bit higher up that you might want so that the bottom half of the stick can go into the pot without a problem.

You can also add more candy melts when he is on the stick to make the hold better.

The cut a wedge of floral foam to fit snugly inside your pot

Put your foam into your pot and cover with the tissue paper, tucking the ends into the pot. Allow your Center Peep to cool completely before moving. It will take about 20 minutes. When you lift it up, support the head so that all the weight isn’t on the hot glue joint. Then skewer it all the way into your pot

Cover the tissue paper with your favorite Easter candy (jelly beans, mini candy eggs, pastel M&M’s) I just used candy left over from the Candy Buffet at Tater’s first birthday party.

All done!!