Merry Elf Hats Food

ELF HAT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggnog, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.
• Squeeze green cookie icing into bowl. Place sanding sugar on plate. Cover each ice cream cone with thin layer of cookie icing using frosting spatula. Roll cones in sanding sugar to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Place flat ribbon applicator tip on extruder of red cupcake icing. Pipe line of red icing around bottom edge (non-pointed end) of each cone.
• Cover each cupcake with small amount of fluffy white frosting. Dip frosted cupcakes in sanding sugar. Top each cupcake with 1 sugar cone.
• Cut each yellow fruit chew into 3 pieces; knead each until soft. Roll pieces into balls; gently press 1 ball onto tip of each sugar cone.
• Cut each pink fruit chew into 2 pieces; mold each into square. Cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. Flatten each triangle slightly; place 1 on either side of hats to create "elf ears." Store cupcakes loosely covered.

MERRY ELF HATS

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a cookie sheet; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and food coloring to the egg whites. Beat whites at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating about 5 minutes on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe small 1-inch-high mounds that end in an angled tip about 1 inch apart on prepared sheet.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
• When cookies are cool, dip bottoms into melted chocolate, then into chopped nuts.
• Set on waxed paper until chocolate is firm.
• If desired, add a dot of colored icing to each tip.