Edible Birds Nest Tutorial

Did you like the Edible Birds Nest?  Yeah!!  Here is a tutorial for you.

1. Bake some stuff.

2. Assemble it.

3. Kidding.

Here goes.

I make my regular old sugar cookie dough and add a dab of brown food coloring.  Mix it in 'kinda' good as a little color difference adds some contrast to the twigs. 

Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick.  Remember making 'snakes' with play dough as a kid?  That's all you're doing.

Cut 1/4 inch strips (or bigger or smaller depending on how big you want your nest) and then roll dough in your fingers.  Feel free to be as messy and sloppy as you want.

Throw them on a baking sheet and bake for about six minutes.

They should not change in size too much.

 

Begin to assemble.  I used five sticks for the bottom and then built up.  My 'twigs' were about six inches long, but some broke and I liked having the smaller sizes to fill in.  This nest BARELY fit three egg sugar cookies.

So!  If making them for individual treats, those dimensions work.  If it is for a centerpiece, I would make the sticks longer and the bottom base bigger. 

I made up a batch of icing (to use as the glue) and added the same brown food gel. (I use Ateco and purchase it online)

Make a dab at both points that your 'twig' will be resting on the nest. (only one point shown)

Just gently set the 'twig' on the icing spot.

Keep building up!

To assemble I had three piles that I would just alternate taking from.

All done!  I built mine about 3 inches high. 

For the filler, I grabbed a little bit of fondant and added a little more brown food coloring.

Roll it out really, really thin.  I just rolled it out on wax paper.

AAAAHHHH!  I had to laugh when I saw this picture. 

You dont have to use a big ole knife, you can use anything that will get you fine strips of fondant.

Cut as thin of slices as you can.

Then just throw it into a little pile.  I made three of these piles for my nest and it was plenty.

I even threw some on top of a big spoon to get some more dimension. Please dont look at my filthy stove top.

I let it sit out for about six hours.  Mostly cause I had a bunch of other stuff to do and forgot about it. 

I think a few hours would suffice.

Here is the nest with the fondant filler.  Hubby told me it looked way to organized.  I told him that birds are very meticulous.  I have no idea if that's true, but I like saying meticulous.

And because my Easter egg cookies were impossible to see in the previous post, I made a few more.

So!  Hope that covered everything. 

Let me know if you make it and be sure to add the pictures to my flickr group.  I look at every single picture that rolls in! (you guys are SO talented BTW)

I cant wait to see how you talented bakers take this idea and make it yours!

Comments

[Jessica]

You are amazing. Amazing, I tell ya. I have a cookie icing disaster in the kitchen tonight. All I could think of was how I wish I could decorate cookies as pretty as you can. You are my role model!

[ClassiclyAmber]

THAT is so cute!! I bet it is sooo tasty, too! Mmmm yum!

[Courtney]

I absolutely love this, and your blog! :)
What a cute little idea. I love that it's all edible.

[jami]

Super cute!

[Meera]

Everything looks so wonderful. Love your blog!

[Lisa]

Awesome tutorial! Can't wait to try these! Thanks Amanda.

[Kate]

I love this idea. Well, except for the fondant part. I've never tasted it but you said it is gross and I believe you. Then I thought I would use Easter grass as a filler but then that kinda ruins the whole "totally edible" part of things, now doesn't it?

Love the cookies, as always.

Would it be weird for me to admit that I zoom in on your pics just so I can seem them up close and personal? Because if it is, then we can just pretend like I didn't say anything.

[Tara]

This is adorable. I've never worked with fondant and that is just one step too far for my lazy self, so I think if I am adventurous and do this, I'll get some of the edible Easter grass they sell.

You're an inspiration!

[Lauren]

Such a creative idea! Thanks for sharing your secrets on how to make and assemble the birds nest!

[Lorie]

Oh my CUTE!!!!!! I have done the one with chow mein noodles covered in chocolate, and those are okay, but these are gorgeous and probably taste DELISIOUS!!

[Alicia]

I just love reading your tutorials! You make it look so easy!! You're brilliant!

[Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com}]

Just fantastic! You make things look easy! You are so talented :)

[Michaella]

Thanks for posting this! I can't wait to try it out! I think that I like the idea of making a big one as a centerpiece (although these little ones are so cute...). Any chance you want to make this again and post pics of a big one??!! :)

[Mandi]

You ALMOST lost me at fondant, but what you did with it wasn't scary at ALL!!! So adorable, my boys would love this!

[Gala]

So cute, It turned out great! Just like on the cover!

[Ashley O]

I love these!! So cute!!

[Marian (Sweetopia)]

Awesome, awesome, AWESOME!! Adorable, edible and such an amazing tutorial!!! A's everywhere = A++
Thanks for the instructions and eye-candy!

[LolaCooks]

this is such a great idea and great instructions! so cute

[Emi]

I love your blog, he's so cuuuute!!!!

[grace]

and here i was, thinking chow mein noodles would do the trick. man alive, i'm a lazy gal. :)

[Natasha]

Where do you come up with these ideas? they're incredible. I think I have to do the nests for easter...or at least blog about them! Have you tried making the dough with cocoa powder instead of brown food colouring? I'll let you know if I try it. xo

[jami]

Wait a sec, didn't you just give up on Tastespotting? Got this one in! Nice!

[glee]

I am glad to hear someone else finally say fondant tastes GROSS! I don't care how pretty those darn cakes are, if a cake ain't edible, don't make a cake, make a centerpiece!!!! love your nest, perfect for Easter morning!!!

[Grapefruit]

Love the nests and the cookies too, of course. And the instructions are so helpful. I'd give it all an A++

[Carly]

These are awesome =) specially the edible nests!
i realise it's bad news to look at Tastespotting now, but i did AND FOUND you after all! I'll tell you what though they let a lot of rubbish get published, i still can't believe your heart cake din't make it in....there is nothing like that anywhere else!!! Keep up the fabulous work! C.

[Amys blah, blah, blogging]

Oh my goodness, those are adorable! Love, love, love it!

[JulieD]

Hey Amanda, I'm going to try this tomorrow for a topper on a baby shower cake for next weekend that I mentioned to you on twitter. Do you use regular food coloring or food color (gel) paste - the stuff you use for coloring buttercream icing?

Also, you don't like the taste of fondant? What brand do you use? There are many good tasting fondant brands out there.

Thanks again for this tutorial and so glad I found your blog! :)

[differences between men and women]

hi! I think this blog very interesting, I love the birds and everything about them! I am happy to read the information! thanks: D

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have bird feeders in my yard to feed the tiny little birds that fly about, especially this time of year when it's really cold. The problem I am having is that there are alot of crow / black birds in our area and they are absolutely relentless when it comes to the bird feeders. I really don't care for these black birds at all.have bird feeders in my yard to feed the tiny little birds that fly about, especially this time of year when it's really cold. The problem I am having is that there are alot of crow / black birds in our area and they are absolutely relentless when it comes to the bird feeders. I really don't care for these black birds at all.

[Allison]

So cute. I think I'm going to use this to top my wedding cake!

[Adrienne]

I love this-I was looking for ideas for my sister's baby shower cake and stumbled upon this. Fabulous! I think we'll have a nest with fondant eggs on top and mini nests on the cupcakes (marshmallow fondant-it tastes better!). Thank you so much for the terrific tutorial!