Candy Canes Food

CANDY CANE CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Pulse the cookies and granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.
• Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the side of the pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it starts simmering, then remove from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually whisk one-third of the warm milk into the egg mixture, then pour into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, about 3 minutes. Continue boiling, whisking, until the mixture is thick like pudding, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the semisweet and mint-flavored chocolate and the butter. Pour into the prepared crust and spread evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Right before serving, beat the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and peppermint extract in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on the tart and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

PEPPERMINT CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Mix a few drops of peppermint into the white, red and green icing. Divide the white icing in 2 and wrap half in cling film along with the green icing.
• Roll the remaining half of white icing into a long, thin sausage shape, then do the same with the red icing. Lay the 2 sausages next to each other, and twist together. Gently roll the twisted length with the palm of your hand until the 2 sausages are joined and smooth. Slice into 12cm lengths, then bend the end of each one to make a hook. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, then spread out the candy canes. Repeat with the remaining white icing and green icing, then leave the canes to dry out for at least 24 hrs before packaging.

CANDY CANES DESSERT MINIS

Steps:

• Add boiling water to combined gelatin mix and 1/3 cup crushed candy in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until gelatin mix is completely dissolved and candy is melted.
• Reserve 1/2 cup COOL WHIP for later use. Add remaining COOL WHIP to gelatin mixture; whisk until blended.
• Spoon into 12 (2-oz.) shot glasses.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
• Top with reserved COOL WHIP and crushed candy before serving.

CANDY CANE POPCORN CRUNCH

Steps:

• Pop popcorn.
• 1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn yields approximately 10 cups of popped popcorn.
• Make 24 cups of popcorn.
• This is approximate-- not to worry if you have 22 cups or 28 cups-- it is a forgiving recipe.
• Put candy canes into a food processor.
• Finely crush.
• Melt dipping wafers following the package instructions.
• I used the microwave instructions-- very simple& easy.
• Put popcorn into a large bowl-- you need a really big bowl-- I actually used 2 bowls.
• Add melted dipping wafers to popcorn and stir to coat.
• A gentle hand is a good idea-- Add crushed candy canes and gently mix.
• Spread popcorn mixture onto paper lined cookie sheets.
• I used non stick aluminum foil-- it worked well-- I used 2 cookie sheets.
• Place cookie sheets in frig for approximately 30 minutes or until coating hardens-- I had 2 cookie sheets and not enough frig space so I put 1 cookie sheet in the frig and the other cookie sheet in the freezer (for 15 minutes only) to harden the coating-- Remove from frig/freezer-- break into pieces.
• Store in airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks (I have not tried storing in the freezer yet).

CANDY CANE POPCORN

Steps:

• Prepare baking sheets: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a large 15x21-inch sheet.
• Melt the chocolate: Add the white chocolate chips to a bowl and melt in the microwave for 1 minute stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and if not melted completely microwave in 15 second increments until smooth.
• Mix popcorn and coating: Place the popped popcorn on the prepared baking sheet(s). Stir about ½ cup of the crushed candy cane into the melted chocolate and pour over the popcorn. Toss the popcorn until thoroughly coated in the chocolate. Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes over the popcorn.
• Cool and finish: Allow the popcorn to cool at room temperature. Break into pieces and serve or package up for gifts.

CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Before you begin this recipe, please take a class from a professional on working with sugar. This is a skill that professional pastry chefs develop after years of experience. Working with sugar will burn your fingers so know before you start that your fingers will develop burn blisters. Place the sugar, vinegar and water in a saucepan over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook until the sugar reaches 320 degrees F. Use a pastry brush to keep the inside of the saucepan clean as the sugar cooks or the sugar may recrystallize. To do this, dip a clean brush in cold water and brush the inside of the pan clean. Pour the cooked sugar onto 3 or 4 silicone baking mats. If you want to color and/or flavor the sugar with food colors and/or flavored oils, this is the time to do so. Add a few drops of color to the sugar. Mix with a wooden skewer. To get started, push the sugar from the sides toward the center. This process takes a little while. Try to keep the sugar divided by color. Use the mat to push the firm sugar around the edges toward the center. Use a folding motion to accomplish that task. The next step is to pick up the sugar with your hands. Place each color under the heat of the sugar lamp. Pull the sugar until it becomes glossy and the color is evenly distributed. You will need to pull the colors simultaneously. Keep them under the sugar lamp but keep an eye on them. The lamp can melt the sugar so it is important keep rotating it and folding it onto itself.
• Start with 2 pieces of colored sugar. I used red and green. Pull them into a rectangular shape that is about 1 1/2-inches wide by 3-inches long and 1/2-inch thick. Place the pieces side-to-side and let them stick together on the long side. Place a piece of white sugar that is about 1/2-inch wide by 3-inches long and 1/2-inch thick in the middle. Close the red and green around it. Roll it and twist it while pulling it. When it gets to the desired thickness, use a scissor to cut the length and shape into a cane. Allow to cool completely. The white is inside and will become apparent when eaten.
• Jacques? tips: Vinegar keeps the sugar from crystallizing. You will not taste the flavor. It serves as an acid in this recipe. Sometimes candy cane recipes contain corn syrup, which makes the sugar very dry and very hot. Adding corn syrup makes it more difficult to work with the sugar at home. Remember, the sugar is at 320 degrees F, and that will burn you. The ideal work surface is a silpat placed over cool marble or granite. If you do not have marble or stone, use wood. It is a good idea to use gloves to help protect your hands from the heat and to prevent burning.
• I use a special sugar box that includes a special heat source, If you don?t have one, you can work in front of the oven. Set the oven to 300 degrees F. Open the oven door and place the silpat on the oven door. It provides a similar effect to the sugar box heater.

HOMEMADE CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Pour remaining 1/4 cup water into a small bowl and use it to wet a pastry brush .
• Repeat this process for 2 to 3 minutes, until candy takes on an opaque color and a satiny finish. At this point, the candy will be warm-you should have some trouble pulling and folding it.
• Pull and fold the candy in the same fashion, until it becomes opaque, glossy, and difficult to manipulate.
• Stretch candy again. This step will determine the thickness of your candy canes-you can make thinner ones (with a 1/4-inch diameter) or thicker ones (with a 1/2-inch diameter).
• Cut off another segment from each log, returning the remaining logs to the oven, and repeat the twisting and stretching process until you have used up all the candy.