A candy pacifier necklace is a great piece of edible gag jewelry. It can be given as a favor for a candy-themed baby shower or as a prize for one of the baby shower games. It's also incredibly simple and fun to make.
A candy pacifier necklace doesn't require too many materials. All you need are ring-shaped candies like Lifesavers, jellybeans in lots of colors, and royal icing. You also need a length of ribbon for the necklace.
Royal icing is a very strong mixture that is usually used as a cement for gingerbread houses. It's easily made by just whipping together powdered sugar and egg whites (1 ½ cups powdered sugar to 1 egg white) until it reaches a very thick, plaster of Paris or toothpaste-like consistency. You could microwave the egg white and powdered sugar mixture in a microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds before they are whipped to kill off any bacteria. If you're still concerned about feeding anyone raw eggs, you could buy royal icing powder at specialty baking supply stores like Wilton.
Using a small-tipped icing bag or a ziptop baggie with a tiny bit
of the corner snipped off; pipe a bead of royal icing onto the side
of a lifesaver. Stick another lifesaver on top of the whole, forming
a “T” shape. Let this dry for at least four hours.
On the opposite side of the “base” of the pacifier,
fill the whole of the lifesaver completely and stick in a jellybean
to form the “teat.” Let this dry for another four hours
or preferably overnight. String the ribbon through the lifesaver
“holder” and knot to make a necklace.
You can use just the plain white mint lifesavers or a mix of the colored ones to make them look more interesting. While the mini jellybeans fit nicely into the lifesaver holes, the regular ones look more realistic, although they require a little more royal icing cement to stick well.
You could also try out some different candies as the “teat” to make them look different. Gum drops, lemon drops, even a gummy bear, would be a fun variant. You could also use a candy melt instead of a lifesaver to make the “base.”
A cute and yummy variation on the edible jewelry is making bracelets and necklaces out of lifesavers and jellybeans. Using a thin needle and elastic thread, alternately string lifesavers as spacers in between jellybean “beads.” Push the needle through the long side of the jellybeans and string as many onto the elastic thread as you need for your necklace or bracelet.
If you're trying to stay away from candy, a wonderful substitute
would be those chunks of dried fruit. Imagine the crystalline colors
of the candied dried fruits and the aroma of a dried pineapple,
papaya, apple, cherry or raisin, and kiwi necklace? Wow. Now that's
beautiful health food.