How do you manage your holiday candy stash? Some people cut up chocolate to make cookies and brownies, some freeze their candy, and others sneak as much as possible to the trashcan before kids start crying foul. I’ve even see one recipe for a Kit Kat candy bar smoothie.
When my kids were really little, we participated in the annual Halloween trek around the neighborhood and ended up with more candy than any of us needed; all under the guise of seeing our friends on a warm Fall night when everyone is out and the mood is festive. We would go early and I would actually put half of the collected candy back into our bowl to give out to older teens who arrived later to clean us out. I didn’t want to be left with the temptation to eat it all myself since my kids could barely chew. In later years, we would take whatever was left to Thanksgiving where a much larger group could help us finish it up.
Now, my kids are the older Trick-or-Treaters themselves and they hide their stash in their rooms and only share sparingly with mom, if the dog doesn’t find it first. I bring this up because picking out the best candy to add to brownies and cookies is impossible if I have to get it from my kids. However, with a little planning, if you are going to participate in giving out Halloween or Christmas candy, it is worth thinking through your purchases and only buying items which can be reinvented and repurposed if any leftovers exist. You can also take advantage of after-holiday sales to supplement your baking needs.
Various uses for left-over chocolate goodies may include M&M cookies or Heath Bar cookies in which you switch out chocolate chips for the various candies. Or, make your own new creations that are colorful and tasty. I found that chopping up a leftover Dove dark chocolate bar I had on hand for fondue made a wonderful substitute for chips.
Of course, with Christmas holidays looming, peppermint sticks fill every crack and crevice of store aisles in many shapes and forms. One year, I found out how easy peppermint bark is to make and what a fun gift it can become.
To make peppermint bark, simply put a couple of peppermint sticks in a bag and crush with a meat pounder or hammer. To reduce mess, put the bag inside a dish towel and pound through the towel. The broken candy is sharp and cuts through thin bags as it breaks up.
In a pot, melt white chocolate chips according to the directions on the bag. You may need a double boiler for this step. Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate for an extra minty flavor. Poured the melted chocolate onto a pan lined with wax paper and sprinkle on the crushed peppermint, pressing gently with a spatula to make sure it is embedded in the chocolate. Quick-cool the mixture by sticking the pan in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened.
Once the bark cooled, I was able to break it up and give it as gifts in inexpensive tins and containers bought at the dollar store. Though I used the white chocolate chips which looked lovely, you can also use mint chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and dark chocolate chips to change the look and flavor of your gifts.
Here’s to keeping it sweet!
In the Phoenix, November 14, 2009
