Candy Cane Heart Pops Food

CANDY CANE LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Arrange the candy canes in pairs on the trays, to make heart shapes. Put a lolly stick between each one, where they meet at the bottom. Put the trays in the oven and cook for 5 mins.
• The candy canes should now be soft enough for you to carefully pinch together where they join at the top and the bottom, around the stick. Be careful as the canes will be extremely hot, but work quickly or they will set and you won't be able to pinch them together.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave. Spoon the melted chocolate into the middle of the heart lollies, pushing it out to fill the spaces. Scatter over your choice of sprinkles, then leave to cool completely. When set, peel off the baking parchment, wrap in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon to give as a gift.

CANDY CANE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter, superfine sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour until incorporated. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and pat into a rectangle; tightly wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread some red sanding sugar and superfine sugar on separate plates. Gently roll heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into short logs with your hands. One at a time, roll half of the logs in red sanding sugar to form 4-inch strands. Repeat with the remaining logs and superfine sugar. Twist 1 strand of each color together, then arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart, and bend the tops to form candy canes. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set and lightly browned around the edges, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.

CANDY CANE ICE CREAM POPS

Steps:

• Break 4 candy canes into small pieces and set aside. Mix together the cranberry juice, champagne, sugar and yogurt in a bowl. Fold in the candy cane pieces and pour into a mold. Put the whole candy cane into the liquid and set in freezer.;