Starry Surprise Cookies {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

I think I've saved the bast for last.  Or at least the cutest.  Not sure which!  Anyways, I was inspired by the pinata cookies that have been seen around pinterest lately.  You know, the cookies with the mini m&ms inside?

I love star shaped anything so my cookies had to be Christmas stars.  I was very tempted to draw black eyes a la Super Mario on these though.  Don't they look like the  invincibility stars from the game? or maybe the warp stars in Kirby?

They'd definitely be cute at a video game themed party.  All they need are the eyes drawn on with a black icing pen!

This filled cookie technique can be applied to practically any shape.  Maybe a Christmas stocking or a square present shape?  Or how about 'confetti' filled cookies for a New Year's Eve  party?  Use sprinkles for confetti et Voila!  Instant party!

I added a lot of yellow gel food coloring to my dough but it still came out very pale so I ended up using a fondant type flow icing after they were assembled.  I liked the flavor and think it kept the cookies soft.

I rolled my dough out on the thick side.  I didn't want a fragile cookie and it needed some depth to hold the M&Ms.

Assembling the cookies is easy, but only if you made sure that your sugar cookie recipe isn't one that spread much!  I suggest this one by Sweet Sugarbelle.  It always turns out for me and is a sturdy base for any decorated cookie.  It's yummy too!  If you've never checked out her blog before, be warned, it's addictive!  Her cookies are so pretty!  I also used her royal icing recipe to glue my layers together.  You don't need a lot!  So maybe halve the recipe?  I was assembling a Gingerbread Home at the time so I made a big batch and saved a little for these cookies.

A totally optional step:  make Quick Pour Fondant to add additional color and flavor to your cookies.  Bonus:  it seals in moisture!  It is a bit of a pain to use but only because it takes some time to set up and dry.  I loved the flavor of this icing though and plan on using it in the future.

I can't believe I made so many sweet treats this holiday season!  I wish Christmas would last a little bit longer.  My neighbors have already begun to dismantle their light displays and trees.  Mine will be up until the weekend after New Years I think.  I want to look at my ornament laden tree a little longer and burn my balsam scented candle until I just can't take it any more.  What was your favorite thing about Christmas this year?  The lights, the smells?  Being with family?

Minty Chocolate Bark {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

This is the easiest candy to make, I promise!  All you need is some chocolate candy melts and crushed candy or flavored chocolate chips.

I get more requests for this treat than any other I make all year.  Which is funny because all it requires is a microwave!  This year I made peppermint bark and Andes mint bark.  I love minty chocolate.  York peppermint patties and Junior mints are some of my favorite candies.  It's also the only way I'll eat dark chocolate.

The Andes mint bark can be made by buying a box of the after dinner mints and unwrapping each individual chocolate and crushing it or you can save yourself a lot of time and just go to the baking aisle to see if your store carries Andes baking chips.  They also make Andes peppermint crunch chips but I couldn't find them this year.  Bummer.  They're yummy too!

I like to layer two different colored candy melts when I make my bark.  It looks prettier.  To layer the chocolate just pour your first layer and let that harden up either on the counter or put it in the fridge to hasten the process. 

Then melt your second chocolate and pour over the 1st layer. Have whatever flavored topping you want to use ready to place on top of your last layer.  If it hardens up too much your toppings won't stick!

After everything has hardened up, remove your chocolate from the pan and use a sharp knife to  chop up the bark in pieces.

To make peppermint bark all you need is some leftover candy cane for your chocolate topping.  Crushing the candy canes can be a fun task for little hands.  If you live in apartment, wait until everyone is awake before attacking the candy with a rolling pin.  Unless you like grumpy roommates and neighbors.

Chocolate Candy Bark

Peppermint Bark:

1 12 oz bag of white chocolate candy melts

1 12 oz bag of dark chocolate candy melts

2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy cane

2 tbs vegetable shortening

or 

 

Chocolate Mint Bark:

1 12 oz bag of green candy melts

1 12 oz bag of dark chocolate mint candy melts

2/3 cup crushed Andes mint candies or Andes mint baking chips

2 TBS vegetable shortening

Melt candy melts in microwave safe bowl or measuring cup in microwave set to 50% power 1-2 minutes.  Stir every 30 seconds.  Do not overcook!  

Pour melted candy melts into a parchment lined 9x13 cake pan.  Let each layer harden before pouring next layer on top.

Top final layer with desired candy topping.  Let candy harden.  Break into pieces.  Enjoy!

Helpful tips:

Line your pan with some parhment paper leaving overhanging edges to make it easy to remove the choclate from the pan.  

If it's hard to remove from the pan, put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  The chocolate will shrink from the pan edges making it easier to remove.

I find that adding a tablespoon of shortening to per a bag of chocolate candy melts (I use Wilton) makes it easier to pour it in an even layer

Thump the pan on the counter to even out chocolate if it's all lumpy bumpy

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas everyone!  I really hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas holiday full of good food and good times.  My Christmas is a bit lame because all my family lives up north and I'm stuck down south.  I try to keep myself very occupied every Christmas season so I don't dwell on that too much.

I try to make a gingerbread house every year.  Last year I couldn't because I was in the middle of a move.  I am so happy not to be in the same place I was last year.  Moving sucks!  We may be moving again but that isn't set in stone yet so we'll see.

This year's gingerbread house is a bit of a cheater house.  I used the gingerbread from a Halloween gingerbread haunted house kit I bought when all the Halloween stuff was red tagged.  I got this super cheap!  I just bought some Christmas themed candy and made my own royal icing.  I really love the pink and brown.  

My husband keeps asking when we get to destroy the house.  Our tradition is to blow up our gingerbread houses at the end of the holiday season.  Mostly because it's so easy to buy fireworks this time of year to celebrate the New Year and what's the point of keeping a house made of cookie and candies?  Sounds like an ant/bug attractor to me! I'm not a pyro so I let Peter handle the detonation.

Is this a weird tradition?