| 2TORIAL |
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Decorate Eggs
(continued)
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Step 2:
Prepare your eggs
There are two ways to prepare eggs for decoration: boil them or hollow them. Boiled eggs are easier to handle than delicate hollowed shells, so if you prefer the no-fuss approach, this is probably the way to go. See 2torial #0704: Boil an Egg for instructions on boiling eggs, then skip to Step 3 of this 2torial.
Unfortunately, boiled eggs don't last for long. So if you want to preserve some of your miniature masterpieces, hollowing out the eggs first is the way to go. And while doing so may seem hard the first time you try, you'll quickly get the hang of it. The main thing to remember is not to squeeze the egg.
To hollow an eggshell, you'll need a long, sharp needle and a sterile glass eyedropper. If you plan to cook the raw egg in a recipe, you'll need a container for it.
- Hold the egg in your nondominant hand--horizontally, like gripping a bicycle handlebar--as if to squeeze the egg (but don't!). Tightly grip the needle between the thumb and bent index finger of your dominant hand.
 - Bore the sharp tip of the needle (by gently rotating it) into the small end of the egg, making a tiny hole. (If your needle is very narrow, you can simply poke it into the egg, without rotating it.) Carefully chip away some of the shell to make the hole just a bit bigger.
- Reposition the egg and repeat the process at the egg's other end, this time making a slightly bigger hole. (This hole needs to be a little bigger than the tip of your eyedropper.)
- Insert the tip of your needle through the larger of the two holes, far enough to pierce the yolk. Gently stir the yolk and the white together inside the egg's shell.
- Expel the air from your eyedropper by squeezing and holding the bulb, then insert its tip into the larger hole in your egg. Release the bulb to suck out some of the mixed egg and then squeeze it into your container or wastebasket. Repeat this process until the eggshell feels empty.
- Flush running water through the hollowed shell (or dip it in a cup filled with vinegar), then shake out the liquid to remove as much of the remaining egg as possible.
- Prop the shell up on a bamboo skewer to let it drain (a jar of dry rice or beans makes a convenient stand for the skewer) or gently wrap the shell in a wadded paper towel. When it's completely dry (after 12 minutes or so), it's ready to be decorated.
Note: Instead of using an eyedropper, you can blow a raw egg out of its shell using your mouth. Blow forcefully into the small hole at the top of the egg to make the raw egg drip out the slightly larger hole at the bottom (do this sitting down, and take a break if you start to feel faint). To help prevent salmonellosis, avoid touching your lips to the raw egg, wash your face afterward with soap and water, and gargle with an antibacterial mouthwash.
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