Melting Snowman Food

MELTING SNOWMEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine milk and extract. Stir in 2 cups confectioners' sugar and cocoa to form a dough. Turn onto a surface lightly sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Knead in enough remaining confectioners' sugar to form a soft dough (dough should not be sticky)., Divide into thirds. Shape one portion into twenty-four 1/2-in. balls. Shape remaining portions of dough into twenty-four 1-in. balls. On waxed paper-lined baking sheets, flatten each 1-in. ball into an irregular 1-1/2-in. circle., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 oz. white candy coating. Using melted coating, attach a 1/2-in. ball near an edge of each circle. Let dry 1 hour., Using gumdrops, cut out noses and earmuffs as desired. Melt remaining white candy coating; cool slightly. Working in batches of six, spoon candy coating over snowmen, allowing coating to drape over each until completely covered. Immediately attach noses and earmuffs. Let stand at room temperature until dry to the touch, about 1 hour., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Using a toothpick and melted chocolate, form eyes, mouths, buttons, arms and tops of earmuffs.

MELTING SNOWMAN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Put the icing sugar into a bowl and add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture is runny but thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Ask an adult to snip the marshmallows in half using wetted scissors.
• Spoon a little icing onto each cookie and attach half a marshmallow. Using a little icing, stick the other half on top at an angle. Drizzle a little more icing onto the cookie to make melting snow.
• Break the pretzel sticks in half and place on the cookie for arms. Stick orange chocolate beans on for the noses. Stick three chocolate beans on each cookie to represent buttons.
• Using the writing icing, pipe small blobs for the eyes and mouth. Leave to set.

MELTED SNOWMAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt the candy melting wafers according to the package directions. Spoon some of the melted candy on top of a cookie and spread it so it covers most of the cookie but has an irregular border. Place a slice of marshmallow toward the top edge and spoon some more melted candy on top, smoothing it to fully cover the marshmallow and blend it into the candy on the cookie.
• Decorate the face of the snowman with mini chocolate chips for eyes and an orange sprinkle as a carrot nose. Place a peanut butter cup half on top of the snowman's head like a hat. Use other sprinkles to add a mouth or buttons if desired. Repeat with the remaining candy, cookies and decorations (rewarming the candy melts if necessary). Let the cookies set, about 10 minutes.

MELTING SNOWMAN CAKE

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, oil, granulated sugar and eggs together until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to combine.
• Line a cupcake pan with 7 paper liners. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
• Remove 2 2/3 cups batter from the bowl and place it in a separate bowl. Stir in the mint extract and red food color.
• Spray a 4-cup bundt pan and a 10-cup bundt pan with flour-based baking spray. Alternate layers of vanilla batter and mint (red) batter in each bundt pan until the pans are about 3/4 full. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the two batter colors together.
• Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes, the 4-cup bundt for 30 to 35 minutes and the 10-cup bundt for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. When the cakes are done, turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• When the cupcakes are cool, crumble them into a large bowl and add 2 ounces of cream cheese. Mix together using a rubber spatula or knead together with your hands. Squeeze a small handful of the mixture in your hand. It should hold together. If it doesn't and the mixture is crumbly, knead in the remaining 1/2 ounce cream cheese.
• Form three roughly ball-shaped pieces from the mixture that are small, medium and large as the segments of a snowman. Flatten the bottom of the largest ball so that it appears to pool and slump to one side. Add the medium ball on top and flatten slightly. Add the smallest ball on top and dowel the three pieces together with a toothpick. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the glaze and decors: Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the half-and-half a little at a time until a thick white glaze forms. Place the largest bundt cake on a cake stand or serving platter with a lip. Cover the top of the bundt cake with half of the glaze. Top the glazed bunt cake with the second smaller bundt cake. Top the second cake with the remaining glaze. You may not have to use the entire batch of glaze.
• Cut a small piece away from the orange fruit chew using a knife and mold it into a triangular carrot shape. Break away the point of a toothpick and insert the non-pointed end into the flat side of the carrot shape. Have this ready on hand along with the chocolate chips, pretzel stick, chocolate sprinkles and licorice lace.
• Melt the white candy melting wafers in the microwave at 100 percent power at 30-second intervals until the candy can be stirred smooth and is pourable.
• Place the chilled modeled snowman shape on the center of the top bundt cake. Spoon the white melted candy onto the snowman shape and allow the excess to run down the sides of the cakes.
• Quickly add two mini chocolate chips (flat side out) for the snowman's eyes. Add the two chocolate sprinkles just over the eyes for eyebrows. Press the nose into the face just under the eyes and add the larger chocolate chip (flat side out) for an o-shaped mouth. Break the pretzel stick in half and add to each side of the body, with one arm sticking upright and the other onto the lower part of the body as if it has melted off. Add the three remaining mini chocolate chips for buttons down the front of the snowman body. Add a licorice lace scarf around the neck.
• Cut the fun-size candy bar in half and have ready on hand with the vanilla cookie.
• Heat the dark chocolate in the microwave at 100 percent power at 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Dip the cut end of a candy bar half into the chocolate and press it on the center of the cookie, creating a hat shape. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes. Dip the entire cookie hat in the chocolate and remove with a fork. Place it on parchment paper and refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes. Dab a small amount of melted chocolate onto the bottom flat part of the cookie hat and hold to the snowman's head until set, about 2 minutes.
• Display as an edible centerpiece at your next holiday gathering. Cut the cake into slices to serve, revealing the red peppermint swirled interior.

MELTING SNOWMAN BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the white chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until it is completely smooth.
• Melt the semisweet chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave at 50 percent power in 15 second intervals, stirring after each until it is completely smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a small plain tip (#2 or #3). (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
• Spoon 12 ovals of white chocolate onto the parchment for the melted snowman bodies, leaving several tablespoons of white chocolate behind in the bowl. Top each oval with a truffle for a head. (If the truffle has a flatter side, attach it facing up for the hat decoration option, so the hat will adhere. If you are making the earmuff option, place the more rounded side up.)
• For the hat decoration: Cut each licorice gumdrop in half crosswise. Lay the flat disc-shaped piece on a flat surface and use the heel of your hand to flatten it into a larger disc shape. Attach the other half of the licorice back onto each using the sticky sides to adhere to each other. Dip the bottom of the licorice candies in the reserved white chocolate and attach to the tops of the truffles for hats.
• For the earmuff decoration: Spread white chocolate on the rope licorice and attach to the truffles for earmuff headbands. Dot white chocolate onto the mini candy-coated chocolates and attach to the sides of the truffles to make the earmuffs.
• For the body and face decoration: Stick the pretzel pieces into the white chocolate for arms and arrange some of the mini candy-coated chocolates down the center for buttons. With scissors, cut the gummy belts in half lengthwise, trim the ends to make scarves and set aside.
• Spread a little white chocolate on the orange candies and attach for noses, holding in place until the chocolate hardens. Pipe the semisweet chocolate on for the eyes and mouth. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Wrap the gummy scarves around the snowmen and pinch to attach at the front. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Dust the melted snowmen with confectioners' sugar if desired.

MALTED MILK MELTING SNOWMAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line with baking parchment. Heavily grease a 16cm hemisphere cake tin and stand on a ramekin on a baking sheet to hold it steady.
• First, make the sponges. Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Pour the eggs in, one at a time, giving the mix a thorough beating before adding the next. If the mix starts to look curdled, add 2 tbsp of the plain flour. Beat in the yogurt.
• Mix both the flours together, adding ½ tsp salt, and slowly beat into the batter, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Spoon half the mixture into one of the 20cm tins, and split the remaining half between the other 20cm tin and the 16cm hemisphere. Bake the smaller amount of cake batter in the 20cm tin and the 16cm tin for 1 hr, and the larger amount for 1 hr 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage for up to three months.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by beating all the butter and half the icing sugar together using an electric whisk or tabletop mixer. Add the rest of the icing sugar once incorporated, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Set aside until ready to use.
• To assemble, halve the largest 20cm cake horizontally so you are left with two equal-sized sponges the same size as the remaining 20cm cake. Put a blob of buttercream onto a 23cm cake board (or cake stand) and spread using a palette knife. Stick one of the sponges to the board. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on top of the cake and sandwich another sponge on top. Spread over another thick layer and sit the final sponge on top. Using a palette knife, coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream and smooth the sides and top carefully, working around the whole cake, scraping off any excess icing. Chill in the freezer for 10 mins or in the fridge for 1 hr until set.
• Meanwhile, put the hemisphere sponge on the smaller cake board and halve horizontally. Fill the middle with some buttercream, sandwich with the top and coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream. Chill in the freezer for 5 mins or in the fridge for 30 mins.
• Take the larger cake out of the fridge/ freezer and coat in another layer of buttercream. Take care when covering this time, as you want a smooth finish to the cake. Running the palette knife under hot water helps smooth over the sides once it is coated completely. Chill again for 5 mins in the freezer.
• Cover the hemisphere sponge with buttercream and smooth over with the palette knife. Carefully lift the hemisphere onto the centre of the cake (as the sponge has been frozen you shouldn't leave finger marks). Press down lightly to set on the buttercream. If there is a gap around the rim, use a small palette knife to fill in with any remaining buttercream. Chill for 10-15 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the eyes and nose using coloured fondant. Roll the black fondant into two balls for the eyes, and five smaller balls for the mouth. Roll the orange fondant into a carrot shape. Leave to set and harden slightly while you make the drippy ganache.
• Make the drippy ganache by mixing the chocolate and oil and microwaving for 30 secs, stirring and then giving it another 30 secs until melted. Transfer to a squeezy bottle, then pour down the edges of the round cake to create the melting snow effect.
• To finish the cake, stick the eyes to the head using a little remaining buttercream. Poke the wooden dowel into the carrot nose, leaving some poking out to stick it to the face. Stick the five small black fondant balls for the mouth and the chocolate buttons down the front of the cake for buttons. Insert the Mikado sticks on either side for the arms. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

MELTED SNOWMAN COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat white sugar, baking powder, and salt into butter until just combined. Beat egg, milk, and vanilla extract into butter-sugar mixture; add flour and mix until dough is just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Scoop dough into balls slightly larger than golf balls; flatten into cookies. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
• Butter a microwave-safe plate. Place marshmallows on the prepared plate.
• Microwave marshmallows until slightly puffed, 10 to 15 seconds. Gently press marshmallows until bottoms slightly ooze.
• Whisk confectioners' sugar and water together in a bowl until icing is slightly thicker than drizzle-consistency. Pour icing over cookies so it runs over the edges, reserving about 1 tablespoon.
• Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into a piping bag with a small tip or a plastic bag with a corner snipped.
• Press 1 marshmallow close to an edge of each cookie to be the snowman's head. Draw 'stick arms' onto the icing using the melted chocolate.
• Divide the reserved 1 tablespoon icing into 2 small bowls. Mix red food coloring into 1 of the bowls and orange food coloring into the other bowl. Decorate the snowmen with scarves or ties using the red icing and yellow icing.