Lollipop Monsters Food

BACON LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Soak about 28 bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
• Combine the sugar, maple syrup and cayenne in a medium bowl; stir in the water.
• Cut the bacon strips across in half. One at a time, dunk the pieces of bacon in the sugar mixture, wipe off the excess with your fingers, and place the pieces flat on the baking sheet. When the bacon has formed one layer on the pan, thread a skewer through each slice, keeping the slices flat and leaving some of the skewer sticking out at the bottom as a handle.
• Top the skewered bacon with a second piece of parchment paper and place an empty baking sheet on top. This keeps the bacon weighted down so it stays nice and flat. (The sheet pan goes directly over the parchment-topped bacon.) Bake until the bacon is cooked through and dark brown around the edges, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking pan to cool.
• Once cooled, you can store the bacon lollipops for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator; place them flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

CHOCOLATE LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• If desired, add nuts to any or all of the chocolates. Pour the chocolate into the molds, filling them to the top. Set the sticks in place by inserting them just far enough to be secure within the mold you are using. Set the molds aside to allow the chocolate to set. When set, simply pop out the lollipops. If you are using molding compound, roll it into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Using a sharp paring knife, cut out whatever shapes you would like and remove the cutout, leaving the homemade mold. Spray the inside edge of the molding compound with vegetable cooking spray and pour the chocolate into the cut out space. Insert the lollipop sticks and let cool completely before removing the molding compound. When finished, the molding compound can be saved and reused for another day.
• How to Temper Chocolate (From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres): Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper. One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer. Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk. The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess. A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Arrange the lollipop sticks in the lollipop molds and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and, without stirring, cook until the sugar is amber or until a candy thermometer reads between 300 to 310 degrees F (hard-ball stage), about 10 minutes (see Cook's Note*). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully stir in the flavored extract.
• Work quickly, drop 1 teaspoon of the hot mixture into each lollipop mold. Reheat the mixture briefly over low heat if it starts to thicken. Let the lollipops cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove from molds and store in airtight containers or wrap individually.

ONE-EYED MONSTERS

Steps:

• Spray nonstick skillet with pam.
• using a cookie cutter, cut a hole in center of bread slices.
• Place bread slices in skillet and break 1 egg into center of each one.
• Let bottom brown and flip over to brown other side. You can add cheese if you wish. Here's lookin' at you !
• ( If you like your eggs sunny side up, just pop it in the oven instead of flipping.).

LKG LOBSTER LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the tail section from the lobster by grabbing and twisting off. Use a large chef knife to cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise. Use your thumbs to separate the lobster meat from the shell and cut each half into four equal chunks. Repeat for the remaining lobsters. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Dip the lobster chunks in the tempura batter and gently place in the oil. Cook for 3 minutes to 3 minutes 30 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and pepper. Skewer 2 pieces of lobster on each bamboo skewer.
• Take a head and the tail pieces of a lobster and deep fry them using caution since air bubbles will pop.
• Place the head at one end of a serving plate and the tail pieces at the other. Place the skewers in middle of the plate. Sprinkle with a squeeze of lime and serve with your favorite sauces.

MONSTER CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; refrigerate.
• In microwavable bowl, microwave blue candy melts and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted blue candy and insert stick into 1 cake ball no more than halfway. Repeat. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip cake balls in melted blue candy; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Immediately attach 2 candy straw pieces to top of pop for antennae, holding in place until set. Let stand until set.
• Spoon melted purple candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe mouth and teeth onto cake pops. Use remaining melted candy to attach candy eyes to antennae.