Download - Unit focus: Mexico Text focus: Instructions (990L) STAGE 6 · Sugar skulls are an important part of the Mexican celebrati on of the Day of the Dead. The festi val is all about remembering

STAGE 6Unit focus: MexicoText focus: Instructions (990L)

SugarskullsareanimportantpartoftheMexicancelebrationoftheDayoftheDead.Thefestivalis

allaboutrememberingthedeadandcelebratingtheirtimeonEarth.Theirspiritsareencouraged

toreturnforabigparty,andtheyareenticedbackwithofferings(ofrendas)offoodanddrink.

Oneofthemostpopularofferingsaresugarskullspaintedinbrightcoloursanddecoratedwiththe

nameofthedeceased.

Beforeyoumakeyoursugarskull,itisimportanttorememberthattheyaretraditionallymade

asdecorationsforthedead,nottobeeaten.ManyMexicansdecoratetheirskullswithsequins,

feathersandfoilwhichmaketheminedible.Whenyoumakeyours,itismuchbettertohavefun

decoratingthemthantryingtomakethemedible.Thatmuchsugarwon’ttasteverynice,anyway!

You will need:

Skulls

• 30ginstantroyalicingpowder

• 720ggranulatedsugar

• 80-100mlwater

Decora� ng Icing

• 7tspinstantroyalicingpowder

• 6tspwater

• 450g icing sugar

• Foodcolouring

What to do:

Makingtheskullsiseasierifyouhaveaskull-shapedmould;however,youcanshapethembyhand

withabitofpatienceandpractice.

First,mixthesugar,royalicingpowderandwatertogether.Itisimportantthatthemixholds

togetherwhenyousqueezeitintoaball.Addthewaterabitatatimeuntiltheconsistencyisright.

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Sugar skulls



RETRIEVAL FOCUS1.WhatistheSpanishwordforofferings?

2.Whatisoftenincludedonthesugarskull?

3.Whyshouldyouonlymouldsmallportionsofthemixtureatatime?

4.Howlongshouldtheskullsbelefttodryforbeforedecorating?

5. Ifyouwantedtomaketwiceasmanyskulls,howmuchroyalicingpowderwouldyouneed?

VIPERS QUESTIONSV Whatdoesdeceasedmean?

V Ifsomethingisedible,whatcanyoudowithit?

S Whatkindofthingscouldbeusedtodecoratetheskull?

I Whyshouldn’tyoueatthesugarskulls?

E Theauthorhasrepeatedtheimportantinformationaboutnoteatingtheskulls,attheendofthetext.Why?

Ifyou’veaddedtoomuchwater,addatinybitmoresugarorroyalicingmix.

Ifyouareusingamould,pressthemixtureintothemouldandpackitintightly.Ifyouare

modellingyourskullsbyhand,nowisthetimetodoso.Themixturecandryoutquitequickly,soit

isimportanttoonlyhandlesmallportionsatatime.

Onceyourskullsaremadeorinthemould,allowthemtodryoutforatleast6hours.Thelonger

youcanleavethem,thebetter.Onceonesidehasdriedforatleast6hours,flipthemoverandlet

theothersidedryforthesametime.Iftheyareinthemould,youwillneedtotipthemouttolet

bothsidesdry.

Usingcolouredroyalicingisonewaytodecoratesugarskulls.Mixthewaterwiththeroyalicing

powderandicingsugar,andbeatituntilitlosesitsshine.

Addfoodcolouringtobatchesoftheroyalicinganduseittodecorateyourskullonceitisfullydry.

LettheskullsdryforseveralhoursbeforeincludingtheminyourDayoftheDeadcelebrations.

Remember,theseskullsaremeanttobedecorations.Whynotuseyourimaginationanduse

sequins,feathersoranythingelseyoucanthinkoftomakethemstandout?

Answers:

1. Ofrendas

2. Brightcoloursandthenameofthedeceased

3. Itdriesoutquickly

4. 12 hours

5. 60g

V:Dead

V:Eatit

S:Colouredicing/sequins/feathers/foil

I:Theywouldn’ttasteniceandtheymaycontainthingsthatcan’tbeeaten

E:Toremindpeopleaftertheyhavereadtheinstructions/madetheskulls

