Candy Making for Kids (2 page)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the wrappers from the peppermints.

Arrange 5 peppermints in a circle on the paper. Cook at 300 degrees F for 6 minutes.

These candies melt quickly, so watch carefully not to let them stay too long or they will be a solid round piece of peppermint. Remove candies from oven. Cool and remove from the cookie sheet. Attach a circle of ribbon to peppermint and add a bow, and they are ready to hang on your tree! Be careful because the candy is thin and can break easily.

Spooky Halloween Ghosts

Makes 10 to 12 ghosts

Mix together butter, marshmallow fluff and powdered sugar in electric mixer. Beat

until smooth. Add more powdered sugar until soft, moldable texture forms. Mold ghost shapes with hands or fill into large plastic bag, cut corner and pipe out ghost shapes. Add eyes and mouth with black frosting.

Candy Corn

Makes 50 to 60 candy corn

Melt entire bag of marshmallows with 3 tablespoons of water in a microwavable bowl in

30-second intervals until completely smooth. Stir in 3 cups powdered sugar until dough begins to form. Rub hands over shortening and begin to knead the marshmallow fondant. Powder a flat surface with powdered sugar. Knead fondant on flat surface and continue to add remaining powdered sugar until smooth and not sticky. Divide into 3 balls (small, medium, large). Flatten 1 and add yellow food coloring. Roll and knead until the coloring spreads evenly across ball. Repeat with second ball and a combination of yellow and red food coloring to create orange. Arrange balls from large to small sizes and form into triangle shape.

Sweet Tip:
Vary the colors for other

holidays such as pink for Valentine’s Day or green for St. Patrick’s Day!

Valentine’s Conversation Hearts

Makes 25 conversation hearts

Place gelatin, water and light corn syrup into a heatproof bowl. Stir until well

dissolved and then microwave for 30 seconds. Pour into mixing bowl and add the extract and 5 drops of red food coloring. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat with electric mixer. Continue to add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mixture will change from a wet liquid form to stiff, sticky dough.

Knead the dough using extra powdered sugar if needed.

Place on a powdered sugar surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Using 2-1/2-inch or

3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts using all the dough. Let hearts air dry overnight. Use edible markers to write messages and then package in fun containers.

For Younger Kids:
Parents can make this

recipe fun for little ones by creating the hearts ahead of time and then letting the kids decorate the hearts.

Easter Baskets

Makes 10 baskets

Place gelatin, water and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. Stir until dissolved and

then microwave for 30 seconds. Pour into a mixing bowl and add food coloring.

Lavender, pink and yellow are great colors to use at Easter. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until mixed. Continue adding the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it is all used. Knead dough using extra powdered sugar if needed. Place on a powdered sugar surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4-inch scalloped or round cutter, cut out the baskets. Lay each circle over a small custard bowl sprayed with Pam. Adjust the shapes and let dry overnight. The next day turn baskets right side up and glue handles in place with melted bark or royal icing. Add a little Easter grass, candy eggs and a bow on the handle and you have a fun candy basket.

Easter Bunny Pops

Makes 8 Pops

Use kitchen scissors to cut marshmallows in half and then cut each circle into

2 pieces shaped like crescent moons. These are the bunny ears. After cutting 16 ears, roll each ear in granulated sugar and place on parchment paper to dry. Use scissors to cut the gummy fish into 3-inch-long pieces of gummy. Each bunny will need 6 pieces of long gummy to be the whiskers. Eight bunnies will need 48 whiskers.

Jellybeans will be the noses and can also be used as eyes instead of candy eyes.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt 4 ounces of bark at a time in a microwave bowl at 15-second intervals until melted. Place the cutters on the parchment paper. Pour the bark into the cutters about 1/2 inch deep. Allow bark to cook for 3 or 4 minutes and then remove cutters. The bark will spread slightly. Push a lollipop stick or straw into the bark and twist to coat the stick. Push 2 marshmallow ears in the top of the lollipop, a jellybean nose, 3 whiskers on each side and 2 candy eyes. Let harden on the parchment paper for about 30 minutes.

Embellish with a ribbon. Lollipops can be made earlier and then decorated. If made early, melt a little bark and have in a bowl to use as glue for decorating.

Candy Favorites

Peppermint Patties

Makes 48 patties

Beat egg whites and powdered sugar until dough forms. Add salt, extracts and food coloring. Knead dough until soft and smooth. If dough is too dry, add 1/2 teaspoon of water until smooth consistency. Form 1-inch balls and lay on wax or parchment paper dusted with powdered sugar. Dip fork in powdered sugar, shake off excess and flatten ball with fork to form indention. Let air dry for 1 hour.

Sweet Tip:
Instead of creating balls with dough, roll out dough with rolling pin and kids can cut out peppermint patties using small shaped cookie cutters. Or try jazzing them up by dipping dried peppermint patties in white or milk chocolate and sprinkle with crushed peppermint, sprinkles,
etc.