Reindeer Pops Food

REINDEER POPS

Steps:

• Insert one lollipop stick into each marshmallow. In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip marshmallows in chocolate mixture, turning to coat; allow excess to drip off. Insert pops into Styrofoam to keep upright. Let stand to set slightly, about 15 minutes., Decorate faces, attaching eyeballs and using red-hot candies for noses. Using a toothpick, poke two holes in top of each marshmallow; insert pretzel pieces for antlers. If desired, decorate with sprinkles. Refrigerate until set.

REINDEER CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Crumble the cake into fine crumbs using your hands or in a food processor. Put into a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the butter and icing sugar until creamy.
• Melt the plain chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture and combine well. Add this to the cake crumbs and mix thoroughly using your hands, until it sticks together. Divide the mixture into eight and shape each one into a smooth ball. Insert a cake pop stick, place on a tray lined with baking parchment and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Take a cake pop and dip in the chocolate. Shake gently until the excess has drained off. Push into a polystyrene block.
• Make two holes in the top of the head and insert a pretzel 'antler' in each one. Press a sweetie nose onto the front and hold for a few seconds until attached. Repeat with all the other cake pops. Leave to set for about 20 mins and then using black icing, pipe on eyes and a mouth.

SKIPPY® PEANUT BUTTER REINDEER POPS

Steps:

• Graham Cracker Sandwiches: Flatten about 1 1/2 inches on one end of your paper straws. Break chocolate graham crackers in half along perforation. Press an oval cookie cutter on top of graham cracker and cut. Reserve crumbs for later use. Cut 16 ovals. Spread about 1 teaspoon of SKIPPY® Creamy Peanut Butter on each graham cracker oval. Set flattened end of a straw on one cracker. Add another cracker, peanut butter-side down, on top. Repeat. Antlers: Heat light cocoa candy melts in a small bowl in microwave on high for 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Pour into a small zip-top bag or squeeze bottle and pipe antlers onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. I just drew a slightly curved line, then added a few lines coming out of either side, kind of like a stick tree drawing. Be sure to draw some curving in the opposite way. Pop them in the freezer for about 3 minutes until they harden. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Coating: Pour white and light cocoa confectionery coating wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 25-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Stir in the 1/4 cup peanut butter. Dip a graham cracker sandwich into the fudge coating, then remove it and set it on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. After about 30-45 seconds, carefully lift it up (hold onto paper and lift up) and move to a clean spot on parchment paper. This will remove any excess fudge coating. I found this method easier than holding the lollipop upside down over the bowl waiting for the excess candy coating to drip off, as I usually do, because the peanut butter doesn't hold the sandwich together if it's held upside down for too long. As soon as you move the pop, insert two antlers into top of the sandwich, add a jelly bean nose and two candy eyes. After you've made two or three reindeer, pop them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes until the candy coating hardens. Continue to make more reindeer pops. Recipe adapted for Hormel Foods® and used with permission from Hungry Happenings

SWEET AND SALTY REINDEER POPS

Steps:

• Place the peanut butter in a medium bowl. Sift the powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer over top of the peanut butter. Using a rubber spatula, stir the peanut butter and sugar together to make a smooth, somewhat stiff mixture.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on half of the crackers. Press the wooden sticks into the peanut butter mixture, then top each with one more cracker. Press the crackers to stick them together. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the chocolate bars into small, similar-sized pieces. Place in a bowl set over a pot filled with about 1" of water. (Make sure that the bowl does not touch the water). Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir the chocolate occasionally, until it is melted and fluid. Transfer to a tall measuring cup, for easier dipping.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Remove the pops from the freezer. Dip one pop into the melted chocolate to coat completely. Remove and let the excess chocolate drip off into the measuring cup. Place the pop on the sheet tray and immediately place four little pretzel pieces up top (the antlers), two candy eyes just below, then one red candy nose. Repeat with all of the other pops. When the chocolate is shiny and still somewhat soft, sprinkle the tops of the reindeer faces with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you like.
• Let firm up at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Store in an air-tight container in a single layer, between layers of parchment paper, in a cool spot in your kitchen or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.