Busy bees

Busy bee hive

Shape the bee bodies from yellow fondant. Set aside until the fondant hardens, then draw black stripes on the body and add the facial features using a non-toxic marker pen. Shape the wings from white fondant and attach them using a little water. Set aside until the wings are completely dry.
Melt the yellow chocolate and dip the doughnuts halfway. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off and place on a wire rack until the chocolate has set.
Pile the doughnuts in a heap on a serving platter. Arrange the bees on top. Break the honeycomb chocolate into pieces and scatter it over the top of the doughnuts.

MAKES 1 HIVE

Queen bee cones

Shape large and small bee bodies from yellow fondant. Set aside until the fondant hardens, then use a non-toxic marker pen to draw black stripes on the body and add a smiley face. Shape the wings from white fondant and attach them to the top of the body using a little water. Set aside until the wings are completely dry.
Melt the yellow chocolate in the microwave. Dip the open end of the cone into the melted chocolate. Fill the cone with small sweets, then place a Marie biscuit over the open end to seal the sweets inside. Set aside until the chocolate hardens.
Melt the yellow chocolate again, if necessary, and spoon it over the cone so it drips down the sides. Place a large sugar paste flower on the tip of the cone. Press small sugar paste flowers and small fondant bees into the wet chocolate. Add a blob of melted chocolate to the large flower and place a large fondant bee in the centre of the flower.
Set aside until the chocolate hardens.

MAKES 10

Bee biscuits

Spread a Marie biscuit with butter icing. Make the bee shape by placing two strips of liquorice for the feelers, then a yellow jellybean, followed by an oblong liquorice allsorts, another yellow jellybean and another oblong liquorice allsorts. Finish with a yellow Smartie and a pointed piece of liquorice, for the tail. Trim off the point of two sugared, heart-shaped sweets and place on either side of the body, for the wings.

MAKES 10

Marshmallow bees

Insert a lollipop stick into a marshmallow. Melt the yellow chocolate in the microwave. Dip the marshmallow into it until completely covered, and hold upside down so that any excess chocolate can drip off. Set aside until it hardens.
Roll out the black fondant. Cut thin strips and place two strips around the marshmallow bee. Shape the eyes, nose and mouth from black fondant and attach to the front of the bee. Shape a sting from black fondant and attach to the back of the bee. Roll out the white fondant and cut circles. Slice each circle in half and attach to either side of the bee, to make wings. Use a little water if necessary to get the fondant to stick. Set aside until the fondant hardens.

MAKES 10

Bee lollipops

Roll out the yellow fondant and cut 20 circles the same size as the lollipops. Use two circles per lollipop and attach them to either side, pressing the edges together so that the lollipop is enclosed in fondant.
Roll out the black fondant and cut thin strips. Attach two strips to the lollipop. Shape the sting from black fondant and attach it to the end of the lollipop where the stick comes out. Roll out the white fondant, cut two heart shapes and trim off the point of the heart. Attach one to each side of the body, to make wings.
Add eyes and a smiley mouth with a non-toxic marker pen.
Set aside until the fondant hardens.

MAKES 10

Worker bee biscuits

Place the chocolate biscuits on a wire rack with a bowl underneath to catch the drips.
Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave and pour it over the biscuits until they are completely covered. Place two mini chocolate balls at one end of the biscuits and a halved oblong liquorice allsorts at the other end. Set aside until the chocolate hardens.
Melt some yellow chocolate. Use a fork to drag two stripes across the biscuits. Slice the marshmallows into thickish rounds. Cut each round in half and place upright in the wet chocolate, to make wings. Hold the wings upright until the chocolate sets enough to keep them in place.
Set aside until the chocolate has hardened completely.

MAKES 10

Chocolate honeycomb

Shape large and small bee bodies from yellow fondant. Set aside until the fondant hardens, then use a non-toxic marker pen to draw black stripes on the body and add the face. Shape wings from white fondant and attach them with a little water. Set aside until the wings are completely dry.
Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave. Pour it over a sheet of bubble wrap. Place on a flat surface until the chocolate has set completely. When set, peel off the bubble wrap and break the chocolate into pieces.
Melt the yellow chocolate and add splashes over the milk chocolate honeycomb. Stick the bees to the splashes of wet yellow chocolate.
Set aside until the chocolate hardens.

Chocolate bar bees

Melt the yellow chocolate in the microwave and use a fork to drizzle stripes over the mini chocolate bar. Slice the marshmallows into rounds. Cut each round in half and place upright in the wet chocolate, to make wings. Hold the wings upright until the chocolate sets enough to keep them in place. Set aside until the chocolate has set completely.
Melt the milk chocolate. Cut the oblong liquorice allsorts in half and use a little melted chocolate to attach it to the back end of the bee’s body, for the tail. Use a toothpick to made two dots at the other end, for the eyes.
Set aside until the chocolate hardens.

MAKES 10

Bee fingers

Shape bee bodies from yellow fondant. Set aside until the fondant hardens. Use a non-toxic marker pen to draw black stripes on the body and add the face. Shape the wings from white fondant and attach them using a little water. Set aside until the wings are completely dry.
Melt the yellow chocolate in the microwave. Dip the finger biscuits three-quarters of the way into the melted chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wax paper until the chocolate hardens.
Melt the black chocolate and use a fork to drizzle it over the biscuits. Set aside until the chocolate hardens.
Use a dab of melted yellow chocolate to attach a fondant bee to the top of the biscuit.
Set aside until the chocolate hardens.

MAKES 10

Honey dipping sticks

Fill small plastic jars with honey and seal with the lid. Place the jars inside the larger containers. Break the pretzel sticks into shorter lengths and put a handful into the container. Seal the large container with the lid.

MAKES 10