Instructions:

Sugar Mold Pumpkins

Sugar molds may be purchased at craft and cake decorating stores.

4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
Orange food color
Miniature marshmallows
Green food color

Mix together sugar, water and orange food color. Mix well to evenly blend food color and to smash any lumps in sugar. It is helpful to wear gloves to prevent staining hands during this process. The mixture will feel like wet sand. Pack sugar in pumpkin molds which have had cornstarch sprinkled in them to prevent sticking. Press sugar firmly in mold. Remove excess sugar by scraping over edge with long knife or spatula. Unmold at once by turning upside down on flat surface and gently tapping back side of mold. Lift mold free of sugar.

Mark rounded side of sugar with toothpicks where desired window and shape should be. Cut window in mold using a string, slicing through sugar. A large doughnut or biscuit cutter pressed on top of pumpkin also works well. Leave window section on pumpkin while drying to prevent over dying around window. Dry for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Hollow out pumpkin shell by holding pumpkin half firmly, but gently, in the cup of hand. Scoop out center of sugar being careful to leave 1/4 inch wall of sugar around the entire mold. Sugar may be reused. Dry about 24 hours - or place on a cookie sheet and bake at 200 degrees F for 20 minutes. Allow sugar to cool before handling.

Decorate inside back hollow of pumpkin shell with candies, frosting figures, tinted coconut, etc. Join halves together by "gluing" them together with royal icing. Allow halves to set until dry and firm.

To finish pumpkins: Place beads of frosting around pumpkin halves to hide seam. Also decorate edge of window. Stem is made by gluing a marshmallow on top and decorating with green frosting.