December 04, 2008
Welcome to Chocolate Candy Mall's monthly chocolate candy newsletter,
Charmingly Chocolate. These Christmas Candy Ideas will help you make the holidays a bit more delicious and fun for everyone you know!
December 4, 2008 - Issue #19 - Christmas Candy Ideas For You!
It's my favorite time of year again. I just love the Christmas season. I know it's not really Jesus' birthday, but it's nice to celebrate it anyway. He's the most important person in my life, so He deserves some extra special recognition.
Since the Lord isn't present in physical form, there's only so much we can do for Him. Instead, it's a great time to show His love by spoiling family and friends.
We can tend to go a little overboard and create a load of debt in the process. I don't recommend this course of action!
How about a few suggestions that can help you treat the one's you love without feeling the crunch in the pocket book?
Bite-Sized Chocolate Cake Balls
This is a nice simple recipe that makes delicious bite size treats for your family and guests during the holiday gatherings. I found this little beauty at the Family Corner site. - 1 box cake mix
- 1 container frosting
- 1- 24 oz package of almond bark or confectioner's coating (you can even just use chocolate chips and a tablespoon of shortening)
- wax paper
- colored candy melts, white chocolate, butterscotch or peanut butter chips (optional for adding a drizzle decoration)
- Bake the cake according to the directions. If you want to make a cake from scratch, that's fine, too. Just use one of your favorite cake recipes.
- As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, tip it out into a large bowl and break it up into pieces/crumbs.
- Stir in the entire container of frosting until thoroughly combined.
- Roll cake mixture into balls and place on waxed paper lined tray. Place tray in refrigerator for 2 hours to allow balls to chill.
- Melt your chosen chocolate chips, bark, or coating. You can use a double boiler or melt in a microwave safe bowl in 1 minute increments, stirring each time. Don't overheat your chocolate!
- Dip chilled balls into the melted chocolate and return to wax paper lined tray to set. You may need to remelt the chocolate part way through if it starts to get too thick.
- If you'd like some added decoration, use the contrasting colors to melt and drizzle across the tops.
Variations:
Try different cake mixes, frostings and coatings. Strawberry cake, vanilla frosting and a white chocolate coating would make a lovely spring dessert. Try confetti white cake, white frosting and white chocolate coating drizzled with pink, yellow, light blue and light green tinted drizzle for a baby shower. Cherry cake with pink frosting and chocolate coating would make a delicious birthday treat!
Fun Winter Cookie Pops
These fun winter cookie pops are another clever recipe from Family Corner. I like this one because it is really easy for the kids to make, and I think they'd have a great time doing it.Why not make it an event by talking about it ahead of time to build up the anticipation - Getting the kids involved in shopping for the ingredients - And creating an annual tradition and a memory that will stay with them for life?
Items needed:
- 20 vanilla wafer cookies
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 6-ounce bag white chocolate chips
- colored candy sprinkles, red & green combo
- ice cream sticks
- wax paper or paper plates
- red pull apart licorice whips, cut into 1-1/2" lengths
- M&M candies
- M&M mini candies
- fruit roll ups, cut into 4" lengths
- Cake decorating writer gel in green, black, and orange
- tube of white cake decorator frosting with flower tip
How To Create Your Winter Pops:
- Spread a layer of peanut butter on the flat side of each of the vanilla wafer cookies. Stick two cookies together with an ice cream stick between. The peanut butter will help hold everything in place.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time until melted and smooth; don't overheat.
- Carefully dip your cookie pops into the melted chocolate, covering completely. Immediately roll the pops in red and green sprinkles and lay or stand on waxed paper or paper plates. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Are you adventurous? Use these fun variations to get even more creative. The kids will have a blast!
Snowmen
Using a licorice whip, while chocolate is still warm on pop, form headband and position to regular sized M&M candies as ear muffs. Lie pop flat on waxed paper and let cool. When cool, use black decorator gel for eyes and mouth and orange for the nose. Gently wrap a fruit roll up around the bottom of the cookie at the stick.
Santa
While chocolate is still warm, dip top of pop into red sprinkles for Santa's hat. Lie flat on waxed paper and let cool. When cool, dot top of hat with white decorator icing using flower tip. Use flower tip and white icing to add his bear and line the brim of his hat. Use black decorator gel to dot on eyes.
Holly
While chocolate is still warm, position to red mini M&M candies off center in the chocolate. Let cool. When cool, use green decorator gel to draw on holly leaves, fill in.
Note: You can tint the melted chocolate with food coloring, or leave the chocolate white and use different colored sprinkles. Decorate with any other candies you wish, or leave some plain. Another variation is to use vanilla or chocolate frosting instead of peanut butter for the filling. This is especially important if you think anyone may have a peanut allergy.
These can also be made without sticks. use one stick to be able to dip the cookies in chocolate and roll in sprinkles, then remove the stick and put on wax paper or paper plates, then chill.
Have fun! And don't forget to send me pictures! I'd love to add YOUR FAVORITE Christmas candy recipes to the site, so please share them with the rest of us.
Need Gift Ideas That Aren't Homemade?
If you're looking some wonderful Christmas gift ideas for friends and family that you don't have to make yourself, here are a few of my favorites...
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This is the type of thing that people won't buy for themselves, but these delicious foods make very welcome gifts. No matter which you choose, you can hardly make a bad choice.
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At Just Flowers you will find something gorgeous that will show your love and appreciation for what they have meant in your life.
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Don't worry! If you have a hard time deciding, they have specially designed themed baskets you can choose from instead. You can't really go wrong.
This month's Freebies & Special Offers
This little section here at the bottom of Charmingly Chocolate is a courtesy to you and to help support the newsletter publication. Each month look for free offers, contests, and services that you might be interested in.As always, if you are interested, go for it; if not, ignore it. Here are this month's offers…
- It's always a good idea to check your credit report annually. You want to be sure no one has stolen your identity, that you don't have any unexpected bad debts, and that any credit cards you are no longer using are truly cancelled rather than just 'inactive.'
Here you can get an Instant Free Credit Score at Consumer Direct and even fix 1 problem for free if needed.
I just caution you to always read the fine print in deals like these. You may be required to ring them within 30 days to keep them from charging you a fee. They are a reliable company and won't charge you as long as you make that call.
- Sign up for Ipsos
and take an occasional survey. You can win cash, prizes, and gift cards. It's a bit of fun that can result in a reward for you.
If you have a friend who you think may enjoy "Charmingly Chocolate," do me a favor and forward this issue to them. If someone DID pass this on to you and you like what you see, please subscribe to future issues by visiting Charmingly Chocolate and signing up. Thanks!
I hope you enjoyed this issue of Charmingly Chocolate. If you have any feedback or comments you'd like to share with me, just reply to this zine and let me know. I'd love to hear from you.
Have a wonderful holiday! I wish you and your family God's richest blessings for the season! - Angie :)