Partridge in a Pear Tree

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Makes 1 bird and 9 pears: 10 cupcakes

Using almonds for the plumage gives this partridge a sophisticated look. It’s so pretty, you may be tempted to keep it as a decoration all season. Make two, one for eating and one to deck the halls.

  1. Unwrap the chocolate taffy pieces. Working with 3 pieces of chocolate taffy at a time, microwave for 2 to 3 seconds to soften slightly. Press 3 of the pieces together to form into a pear shape. Continue until you have 8 pears. Shape 2 of the chocolate taffy pieces into a 1½-inch ball to be used as the partridge’s head. Cut the remaining piece of taffy crosswise into 9 thin strips, about ½ inch long. Form 1 piece into a teardrop shape for the top crest of the partridge; form the remaining 8 pieces into stems for the pears.
  2. Spoon ¼ cup of the vanilla frosting into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Spoon 1 cup of the vanilla frosting into a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Tint the remaining vanilla frosting bright green with the food coloring, spoon into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Snip a ⅛-inch corner from the bags with the green and vanilla frosting. Attach the pears with a dot of green frosting to 8 of the cupcakes, positioning each pear off to one side. Attach the mini doughnut to the top of one of the remaining cupcakes with a dot of vanilla frosting (see Building with Cupcakes). Add the ball-shaped taffy head to one side on top of the doughnut and secure with vanilla frosting. Place the 8 pear cupcakes and the partridge cupcake in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  3. Using a serrated knife, cut the chocolate cookie Into a 2-by-2-by-1¼-inch triangle to make the tail (see Cutting Cookies). Sort through the sliced almonds and pick out all the brown end pieces and the nicest-looking slices.
  4. When the cupcakes are slightly frozen, microwave the 1 cup of vanilla frosting for 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring frequently, until the frosting is the consistency of lightly whipped cream.
  5. Holding the partridge cupcake by its paper liner, dip it into the melted frosting just to the bottom of the doughnut. Hold the cupcake above the surface and allow the excess frosting to drip off (see Dipping Cupcakes). Carefully invert the cupcake and place it on a cookie sheet.
  6. Tint the remaining melted frosting yellow with the food coloring, stirring well to blend. If the frosting becomes too thick, reheat in the microwave for several seconds, stirring well. Holding one of the pear cupcakes by its paper liner, dip it into the yellow frosting just to cover the pear. Allow the excess frosting to drip off. Carefully turn the cupcake right side up and place it on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining 7 pear-topped cupcakes.
  7. Working on one cupcake at a time, pipe lines of green frosting around the edge using the squeeze-and-release technique to make the grass (see Techniques). Continue working inward in concentric circles, each row overlapping the previous row, until the top of the cupcake is covered. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes; one cupcake will have only the grass on it.
  8. For the wings, pipe vanilla frosting on both sides of the frosted doughnut and arrange 3 horizontal rows of almond slices, overlapping them slightly. To make the tail, use some of the vanilla frosting to attach the chocolate cookie triangle, pointed end down, on the side opposite the head. Starting at the pointed end of the cookie, add the brown end pieces of almonds, as the feathers, securing them with the vanilla frosting and overlapping them slightly. Add 2 or 3 rows of the brown end pieces on top of the partridge’s head, overlapping them slightly. Pipe a small dot of vanilla frosting for each eye patch and add a brown end piece of almond horizontally. Pipe a dot of vanilla frosting on the eye patch and add the chocolate chip, flat side out, for the eye. Pipe a white highlight on each eye. To make the ruff, use dots of vanilla frosting to attach the hulled sunflower seeds, pointed ends in, in 2 overlapping rows across the chest. Use a round toothpick to make a small hole in the top of the head and in the top of each pear. Insert the narrow end of the teardrop-shaped taffy crest in the hole on top of the head and insert the taffy stems in the top of the pears. Use a dot of vanilla frosting to attach the chocolate-covered sunflower seed for the beak.
  9. Place the green-frosted cupcake without a pear in the center of a serving platter. Arrange 4 pear cupcakes around the center cupcake, pears facing out. Arrange the remaining 4 pear cupcakes on top of the first layer of cupcakes, pears facing out, close together. Place the partridge cupcake in the center on top of the green-frosted cupcake.