Royal Icing Pineapple

I've been thinking a lot about those half-pumpkins that you see around Halloween (they're a cousin to candy corn; one of my perennial favorites). I'm planning to pipe an icing version of those, of course, but I thought I'd better hold off and work on something more seasonal: a pineapple. All you need to pipe a little half-pineapple that would look darling on a cupcake or any small dessert are royal icing in green and yellow (or a more realistic color), a dusting pouch filled with a 50/50 mix of powdered sugar and cornstarch, parchment paper squares, round tips #12 and #5, and oval tip #55 by Ateco. 

Start by piping a shape reminiscent of a Hershey's Kiss in the middle of a parchment square. Hold the #12 tip just above the surface, squeeze until the base is about the size of a dime, then draw the tip slowly upward while maintaining even pressure. Stop pressure and pull away the tip when the shape is about 3/4" high. Touch a fingertip to the dusting pouch and tap the peak into the rounded shape you see here:

 Allow it to firm up for about half an hour. Switch to the #5 tip and cover the shape in tiny little adjacent dots. Hold the tip almost against the surface, squeeze just until you see icing, then pull away to form peaks.

 Cover the entire shape except for the top.

 Use the oval #55 tip to pipe the leaves. Hold the tip just above the surface at a 90 degree angle, squeeze, and pull up. After about 1/3", stop pressure and pull the tip away. If any fall over, you can usually touch a fingertip to the dusting pouch and nudge them back into place.

 These would be especially cute on luau or SpongeBob SquarePants-themed cupcakes; anyplace a little tropical accent is appropriate.