African safari

Wildlife at the waterhole

• cupcake stand
• mini Swiss rolls
• mini cupcakes
• mini caramel pastry horns
• lamingtons
• sugar paste leaves and flowers
• jelly snakes
• plastic wild animals
• small chocolates
• malt chocolate balls

1. Slice the mini Swiss rolls in half. Place the halves on the cupcake stand along with the mini cupcakes and lamingtons.
2. Add sugar paste leaves and flowers to some of the cakes. Drape the jelly snakes around and over the cakes and arrange the plastic wild animals on top of and between them. Finish off with a variety of chocolates and malt chocolate balls.

Tip: If you don’t have a cake stand, use one large plate and one smaller one with a sturdy upturned bowl in between.

Elephant cones

• green butter icing (page 8)
• variety of small sweets
• 10 ice-cream cones
• 10 Marie biscuits
• green, white and grey fondant
• sugar paste flowers
• non-toxic marker pen
• water

1. Fill a piping bag with green butter icing. Fill the cone with sweets. Use a star nozzle to pipe some butter icing around the rim of the cone, then place the Marie biscuit over the open end of the cone to seal the sweets inside.
2. Use the grey fondant to shape an elephant’s head with a very long trunk. Press the head onto the tip of the cone and wrap the trunk around the cone. Set aside for a short while to firm up a bit. Shape the ears and attach them to either side of the head. Roll out the white fondant and cut small circles for the eyes. Attach them to the face and add black dots with a non-toxic marker pen. Shape the tusks from white fondant and attach. Use a little water if necessary, to get the fondant to stick.
3. Roll out the green fondant and cut thin strips resembling blades of grass. Use butter icing to attach the strips around the base of the cone. Attach sugar paste flowers to the grass. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.

MAKES 10

What’s hiding in the river?

• green, white and grey fondant
• blue chocolate (page 8)
• 10 Marie biscuits
• non-toxic marker pen

1. First shape the heads and bodies of the crocodile and hippo so that they can harden before they are attached to the biscuits.

CROCODILE

1. Shape the head from green fondant. Using a toothpick, make a mark for the mouth and two small holes for the nostrils. Cut small circles of white fondant and attach them to the head, for the eyes. Shape the body and tail sections. Use a small pair of scissors to snip the top of the head, body and tail, to resemble scales. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens.

HIPPO

1. Shape the head from grey fondant. Using a toothpick, make a mark for the mouth and two small holes for the nostrils. Cut small circles of white fondant and attach them to the head, for the eyes. Shape the body section. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens.
2. Melt the blue chocolate in the microwave and spread some over the Marie biscuits. Place the fondant sections in the wet chocolate so that it looks as if the crocodile and hippo are in the water. Set aside until the chocolate hardens.

MAKES 10

Hippos

• 30 marshmallows
• wooden skewers
• royal icing (page 8)
• 40 mini marshmallows
• grey chocolate (page 8)
• grey, black and white fondant
• water
• non-toxic marker pen

1. Thread two marshmallows onto a skewer and trim off the protruding end of the skewer. Use royal icing to attach four mini marshmallows, for the legs. Set aside until the icing hardens.
2. Stand the hippo on its legs. Using royal icing, attach another marshmallow, for the head. Set aside until the icing hardens.
3. Place the hippo on a wire rack with a bowl underneath to catch the drips. Melt the grey chocolate in the microwave and pour it over the hippo until the body, head and legs are covered. Set aside until the chocolate hardens.
4. Shape the ears, nostrils and tail from grey fondant. Attach them to the hippo, using a little water to help them stick. Roll a bit of black fondant between your fingers to make a rope and attach it to the face, for the mouth. Cut small circles of white fondant and attach them to the face to make the eyes. Add dots with a non-toxic marker pen.
5. Set aside until the icing hardens.

MAKES 10

Snakes on a branch

• different coloured fondant
• water
• 10 Flakes
• non-toxic marker pens

1. Shape the snake from your chosen colour of fondant. Using a contrasting colour fondant, make dots of different shapes and sizes and attach them to the snake’s body.
2. Shape a forked tongue from red fondant and attach it to the snake’s head. If necessary, use a little water to get it to stick. Add the eyes and nostrils with the non-toxic marker pen. Carefully wrap the snake’s body around the Flake.
3. Set aside until the fondant hardens.

MAKES 10

Lollipop tracks

• black and light brown fondant
• 10 flat lollipops
• water

1. Roll out the light brown fondant and cut 20 circles the same size as the lollipops. Using two circles per lollipop, attach one to each side, pressing the edges together to enclose the lollipop in fondant.
2. Roll out the black fondant and cut out heart shapes and small circles. Trim the point off the heart shape and attach upside down in the centre of the lollipop. Add four small circles for the toes, to create a paw print. Use a little water to help the fondant stick.
3. Set aside until the fondant hardens.

MAKES 10

Wild parrots

• 20 edible cookie cups
• variety of small sweets
• red chocolate (page 8)
• fondant (red, white, yellow, blue and orange)
• non-toxic marker pen

1. Fill the edible cookie cup with small sweets. Melt the red chocolate in the microwave and dip the rim of a second cookie cup into it. Press the rims of the two cookie cups together to form the body. Refrigerate so that the chocolate can set quickly.
2. Place the parrot’s body on a wire rack with a bowl underneath to catch the drips. Pour the rest of the chocolate over the body until it is covered completely. Set aside until the chocolate has set.
3. Shape the crest from red fondant and attach it to the top of the body. Use a small pair of scissors to snip the crest so it resembles feathers.
4. Roll out the white fondant, cut small circles for the eyes and attach them to the front of the body. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Shape the beak from yellow fondant and attach. Use a toothpick to make two small holes in the top of the beak, for the nostrils.
5. Shape the tail and wings from blue fondant and attach to the body. Use the point of a sharp knife to make marks that resemble feathers.
6. Roll out the orange fondant and cut out flower shapes and trim them so three petals remain. Attach these to the body, to make the feet.
7. Set aside until the fondant hardens.

MAKES 10

Wildlife fingers

• different coloured fondant
• water
• non-toxic marker pen
• different coloured chocolate (page 8)
• milk chocolate
• finger biscuits

TIGER

1. To make the tiger’s head, roll a ball of orange fondant and flatten it. Shape the ears and attach them to the top of the head. Roll out some white fondant, cut small circles and attach them to make the eyes. Flatten two small balls of orange fondant and attach them beneath the eyes to make cheeks. Shape a small triangle of black fondant and place it in the centre of the face, for the nose. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Use a non-toxic marker pen to add dots to the eyes, stripes on the cheeks for whiskers, and a mouth. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.
2. Melt orange chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt some black chocolate and use a fork to drizzle it over the biscuit. Set aside until the chocolate has set.
4. Melt the orange chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the biscuit.
5. Shape the tiger’s tail from orange fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Use the point of a sharp knife to make markings in the tuft of the tail.

MONKEY

1. To make the monkey’s head, roll a ball of brown fondant and then flatten it. Shape the ears and attach them to the top of the head. Roll out some white fondant, cut small circles and attach them to make the eyes. Flatten a small ball of cream-coloured fondant and attach it beneath the eyes to make the snout. Make marks for the mouth and nostrils. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.
2. Melt milk chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt the chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the biscuit.
4. Shape the monkey’s tail from brown fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Make a curl at the end of the tail.

RHINO

1. Shape the rhino’s head from grey fondant. Use a toothpick to make a mark for the mouth. Shape the ears and attach them to the top of the head. Roll out some white fondant, cut small circles and attach them to make the eyes. Shape the horn from white fondant and attach it. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.
2. Melt grey chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt the grey chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the biscuit.
4. Shape the rhino’s tail from grey fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Use the point of a sharp knife to make markings in the tuft of the tail.

ZEBRA

1. Make the zebra’s head from white fondant. Shape the ears and attach them to the top of the head. Flatten two small balls of black fondant and attach them to the face to make the eyes. Make a small ball of pink fondant, flatten it and attach beneath the eyes to make the snout. Make marks for the nostrils. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Add dots to the eyes, stripes on the cheeks and a fringe with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely
2. Melt white chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt some black chocolate and use a fork to drizzle it over the biscuit. Set aside until the chocolate has set.
4. Melt the white chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the biscuit.
5. Shape the tail from white and black fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Use the point of a sharp knife to make markings in the tuft of the tail.

GIRAFFE

1. Make the giraffe’s head from mustard-coloured fondant. Shape the ears and attach them to the top of the head. Shape horns from brown fondant and attach them between the ears. Roll out white fondant, cut small circles and attach them to make the eyes. Flatten a small ball of brown fondant and attach beneath the eyes to make the snout. Make marks for the mouth and nostrils. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.
2. Melt mustard-coloured chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Set aside on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt the chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the top of the biscuit.
4. Shape the tail from mustard-coloured and brown fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Use the point of a sharp knife to make markings in the tuft of the tail. Using brown fondant, make dots in different sizes and shapes and attach them to the body of the giraffe.

LION

1. To make the lion’s head, roll out brown fondant and cut two flower shapes. Place the two flowers on top of each other so the petals overlap slightly, to make the lion’s mane. Roll a ball of mustard-coloured fondant, flatten it and attach to the centre of the flower shapes, for the face. Roll out white fondant, cut small circles and attach them to make the eyes. Shape a small triangle of black fondant and attach it to the centre of the face, for the nose. Make a mark for the mouth. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Add dots to the eyes with a non-toxic marker pen. Set aside until the fondant hardens completely.
2. Melt mustard-coloured chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuit three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate. Hold the biscuit upside down and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.
3. Melt the chocolate again if necessary and use it to attach the fondant head to the top of the biscuit.
4. Shape the tail from brown and mustard-coloured fondant and attach it to the biscuit. Use the point of a sharp knife to make markings in the tuft of the tail.