Festive Holiday Treats

[Charlene Domschot]

FROSTY AND FRIENDS: MARSHMALLOW SNOWMAN

Makes 1 snowman

3 large marshmallows

3 toothpicks

Royal Icing

Miniature chocolate chips

1 pretzel stick (small and thin)

8 inches skinny red licorice (or fruit leather cut into a thin strip)

1 Hershey’s Kiss or Rollo candy

Connect 2 marshmallows on the first toothpick. Push the second toothpick halfway into the top of the second marshmallow and spike your third marshmallow onto the top half of the toothpick. The toothpicks should be completely hidden in the marshmallows.

Using the third toothpick as a glue stick, add dots of icing to stick on chocolate chips to form “eyes” and “buttons.” Break the pretzel stick in half for arms, and carefully push them into the sides of the middle marshmallow. Wrap the licorice ( or fruit leather) around the “neck” for a scarf, and use icing to glue the Kiss or Rollo onto Frosty’s head as a hat.

Tip: For a small table centerpiece, scoop a few mounds of royal icing onto a cake platter. Before the icing dries, cut a few red licorice sticks into thirds to make skis for Frosty and his friends. Place the skis on the icing mounds, under 3 or 4 marshmallow snowmen. Anchor the snowmen onto the skis using half a pretzel stick.

 

SUGARPLUM LOLLIES: CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MARSHMALLOWS WITH ASSORTED TOPPINGS

Makes 20 pops

Nonstick vegetable or canola oil spray

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

Toppings: Assorted sprinkles, colored sugars, nuts, flaked coconut, chips (white, peanut butter or milk chocolate mini), coarsely chopped candy canes

1 (10-ounce) bag large marshmallows

20 wooden craft/popsicle sticks

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray it with oil, then wipe the oil evenly across the parchment.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of hot water (creating your own double boiler) melt the chocolate chips over the medium-low heat until smooth, about 8 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a room temperature bowl.

Put each topping ingredient in a separate, shallow bowl.

Stab each marshmallow with a craft stick, securing the marshmallow on the top (pushing the stick in about 1 inch), creating a lollipop. Dip the marshmallow pop into the chocolate and cover it evenly. Dip it into the various toppings. Put the marshmallow pop on the parchment to set. Repeat.

Refrigerate the marshmallow pops until the chocolate has completely hardened, at least 45 minutes.

 

CELEBRATION STICKS: COLORED CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PRETZELS

Makes 15 sticks

Sprinkles (colors depending on the holiday)

1 cup white chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips

15 (8-inch) pretzel rods

Raffia or ribbon

Arrange 1 ¼-inch waxed paper strips of whichever colors of sprinkles you intend to use (red/green/white or blue/white/blue or red/green/ black, etc.).

Place the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of hot water (creating your own double boiler). Melt the chocolate chips over medium-low heat until smooth, about 8 minutes.

Use a butter knife to spread the chocolate over half of a pretzel.

Roll the pretzel over the sprinkle strips until coated. Repeat with the remaining pretzels. Place them on a baking sheet covered in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Tie the pretzels into little bunches with colorful raffia or ribbon.