Description
This charming and creative recipe shows you how to grow fresh cress inside decorated eggshells, turning a simple gardening activity into a delightful craft project. Perfect for children or anyone looking to add a touch of green to their kitchen, these ‘Crackin’ Cress Heads’ are easy to make and provide fresh cress shoots to enjoy in sandwiches or salads.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp cress seeds
- 2 cotton wool balls
- Felt-tip pens or acrylic paints (for decorating)
Instructions
- Prepare the eggshells. Carefully remove the tops from the eggs, leaving the bottom two-thirds of the shells intact. Empty the shells into a bowl and save the eggs for another use. Rinse the inside of the shells carefully to clean them, then set aside to dry.
- Decorate the eggshells. Using felt-tip pens or acrylic paints, decorate the outside of the clean eggshells with designs and colors of your choice. Allow the paint or ink to dry completely before proceeding.
- Insert the cotton wool and seeds. Dip each cotton wool ball lightly in water and squeeze off any excess moisture so it’s damp but not dripping. Place one damp cotton wool ball inside each decorated eggshell, then sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cress seeds onto the cotton wool in each shell.
- Set up for growth. Place the filled eggshells carefully into egg cups to hold them upright. Position them in a dry, well-lit area such as a sunny windowsill where they will receive indirect natural light.
- Wait for the cress to grow. Over the next week, keep an eye on the moisture of the cotton wool; if it starts to dry out, mist with a little water to keep it damp. The cress will begin to sprout within a few days, ready to be harvested for fresh sandwiches or salads.
Notes
- Be gentle when removing the tops of the eggs to avoid cracking the shells.
- The eggshells can be painted and decorated by children to make this a fun family project.
- Keep the cotton wool damp but not soaked to encourage healthy seed growth.
- If you don’t have egg cups, small egg cartons or similar holders can stabilize the eggshells.
- Use freshly cleaned eggshells to reduce the chance of mold or bacteria affecting seed growth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 days (for cress to grow)
- Category: Gardening
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: cress growing, egg shells gardening, kids craft, edible cress, fresh herbs, easy gardening project
