Sugar Board

The Netherlands
Carved wood
8 1/2 × 7 1/2 inches

Back half of a sugar board. Two-sided molds made 3-D sugar figures, called suikerbeesten or sugerbeasts, a simple clear hard candy. Not all were animals, some were Sinterklaas and other figures. Sugarbeasts used to be a traditional Sinterklaas candy, but are now rare.

Sugar boards were also filled with dragant—a mixture of sifted confectioners' sugar, gelatin, and water.

Click for cookie made in the half mold