How to Make a Fruit Fly out of Candy
Pesky small flies that appear in homes are most commonly fruit flies. They are attracted to fermenting fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, grapes, bananas, potatoes and onions. These little critters may be annoying, but they are excellent candidates for candy replicas. Fruit flies made from candy are used as table decorations, treats, science reports/displays, party favors and conversation pieces. Make a candy fruit fly quickly using gumdrops and other sweet treats.
Things You'll Need
- Wax paper
- Gumdrops
- String licorice
- Cutting board
- Rock candy
- Baggie
- Butter knife
- Sharp knife
- Spoon
- White frosting
- Food coloring
Instructions
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1
Tear a 12-inch piece of wax paper from a wax paper roll. Place the wax paper on a flat, smooth work surface.
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2
Place one piece of rock candy in a baggie. Place a butter knife over the candy, and push down on the knife to break the crystals apart. Set the baggie aside. Two pieces of rock candy are needed per fruit fly.
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3
Select two gumdrops. Lay the gumdrops on their sides so their tops and bottoms are pointing to the left and right. Center a knife over the middle of a gumdrop, placing the blade so that the point is away from you and lays across the center of the gumdrop. Cut the gumdrop in half. Repeat the process with the second gumdrop. Set aside.
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4
Select a gumdrop for the wings. Place the gumdrop on the cutting board so the smaller end of the gumdrop is pointing up. Center the knife over the middle of the gumdrop and cut the gumdrop in half. Cut two very thin slices from the center of the gumdrop. Set the two slices aside.
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5
Place a spoonful of white frosting on a paper plate. Add a drop of food coloring to make the frosting match the color of the gumdrops. Mix the food coloring into the frosting.
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6
Cut three pieces of string licorice to 1 1/2 inches in length. Set aside.
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7
Assemble the fruit fly. Spread a small layer of frosting over the cut edge of one bottom half of a gumdrop from Step 3. Place the second gumdrop bottom half from Step 3 onto the frosting, sticky-side down. These two pieces form the body of the fruit fly.
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Spread a layer of frosting over opposite sides of the body section. Pick up one small end of the cut gumdrop from Step 3. Stick it to the frosting on the body, pressing the cut side into the frosting. This is the fruit fly head. Repeat the process with the opposite end of the body section and the other small end of a cut gumdrop from Step 3. This creates the tail of the candy fruit fly.
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9
Spread a layer of frosting over the bottom of the body section. Position the three pieces of string licorice across the middle section to form the legs. Sit the fruit fly on wax paper so the legs are on the bottom of the fly and poking out from either side of the body.
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10
Place two dots of frosting on the head for the eyes. Immediately place a rock candy piece on the frosting to form the eyes.
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Position the wings on the middle section just below the head. Place a large drop of frosting in the desired location. Position the wings over the frosting and push them into place. Allow the candy fruit fly to dry for 10 minutes before moving. This allows ample time for the frosting to set.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
