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T'anta Wawas or bread babies
I've been working on a baking/craft project for snippets day of the dead issue. I decided to make T'anta Wawas or bread babies.

T'antas Wawas are an Andean day of the dead baking tradition. it's quite similar to Pan de Muerto, but formed in the shape of children. many of these breads have plaster masks baked into them. For the masks I used a flour based baking clay recipe. click on this link and follow baking clay #2 recipe. Below I will show step by step examples of my mask making process.

Posted by micha michelle from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States • Published
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  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 1
    Step 1

    Follow recipe instructions. When all ingredients have been combined you should have a nice clay base to work with. If your clay is too tacky to work with, add more flour.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 2
    Step 2

    Take small bits of aluminum foil and form into balls. Smash one side flat against the counter.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 3
    Step 3

    Take a small bit of clay and roll into a ball. Press it flat between your fingers to form a flat circle.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 4
    Step 4

    Take your circle of clay and place it centered over the rounded side of your aluminum foil.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 5
    Step 5

    Form into a face and add hair or headdress.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 6
    Step 6

    Be sure to prick holes in the back of thick areas. This will keep your clay form exploding in the oven. A fork works nicely.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 7
    Step 7

    Place your babyface masks on a foil lined baking sheet.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 8
    Step 8

    Bake your masks for 30 minutes instead of a full hour. The masks will finish baking with your bread for the remaining 35 minutes.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 9
    Step 9

    Once they have cooled down, paint details with food coloring. I also used water based inks for those hard to mix colors.

  • How to mold a clay character. T'anta Wawas Babyface - Step 10
    Step 10

    There you have it, babyface masks ready for the bread baking part of your T'anta Wawas.

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Comments

Miaurrr E.
Miaurrr E.
super !!!!!! ;o*
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Ezme
Ezme · Wantage, England, GB · 25 projects
They are kinda scary!! but in a good way! ha ha you can follow my salt dough recipe! Love them
Reply
Carli
Carli · Wales, Wales, GB · 2 projects
wow, these are gorgeous. Will have to try these out.
How durable are they?
Reply
PB
PB · U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, US · 2 projects
Oh... I thought they were edible at first... y'know, like those babies made out of frosting?
Reply

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