Finally we come to one of the New Year’s Eve Traditions that I can combine with a simple how to! In Germany pigs, four leaved clovers, horse shoes, toadstool and a chimney sweep are all signs of good luck.
There are lots of theories about why pigs are a symbol of good luck, ranging from pigs being able to feed your family, to boars being the centre of a bulls eye, to losers being awarded a piglet as a consolation prize in the middle ages.
For New Years, many Germans give gifts of small marzipan pigs to their friends and family. Sometimes adorned with a four leave clover, sometimes a horse shoe other times a toadstool.
How to Make Marzipan Pigs – INGREDIENTS
Ingredients ( contains affiliate links):
- a block of marzipan (try and get white or at worst cream, avoid yellow if you can),
- red food colouring (we used this – US/ UK)
- green food colouring, (we used this – US/ UK)
- tooth pick for modelling
Piece of card and cellophane for wrapping & “presentation.
So. How to make your own Marzipan Pig (video):
So. Make your own Marzipan Pig (Photos & Step by Step):
The photo is missing the curly whirly tail! SORRY!
- Colour your marzipan – a few drops of red should give you pink. Knead it thoroughly. Make some in green too.
- Using the pink, make an oblong ball, 4 stumpy feed (make a sausage and cut off four pieces, re shape a little) a disc for nose, 2 triangles for ears and a curly whirly tail (see image).
- Put the four feet together, place the ball on top. Press gently down and they should stick. If not, dab with a little water.
- Add the nose and the ears. Again gently squeeze on. If they come off a little water should help.
- Add the tail (a thin sausage curled up on itself).
- With a toothpick add eyes.
- For the four leaved clover, take the green marzipan. Make four small balls and a small sausage.
- Stick the four balls together. Gently flatten. Using a tooth pick make an indentation to make it heart shape. Repeat on all four sides.
- Add the “stick” and stick to the pig.
Place on a small piece of card and wrap in cellophane with a bow. Try and make it air tight. Marizpan can dry out and you want to keep them as moist as possible.
This makes a lovely New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day activity for older kids (I suspect it would be a little unhygenic with younger ones, but they could eat their own piggies). Would you make this one of your New Year’s Eve Traditions?!
Happy New Year’s Eve from Germany!!!!