Redmouse's Kitchen *PIC* Today: Peanut Butter Cups & Peppermint Pretzels

[redmouse]

As I bake a new item - I will try to post the recipie and a photo of the finished product. I'll save arranging them for last.

Here are the recipies I hope to share with you:

Cherry Cordials - DONE
Cherry Balls (different varities) DONE
Peanut Butter Cups - DONE
Peppermint Patties - DONE
Chocolate Truffles - DONE
Chocolate Covered Pretzels with a peppermint twist - DONE
Shortbread
Candycane Reindeer - DONE
Fruit Dip - DONE
and hopefully a cheesecake surprise (this one will be an experiment) - HOPEFULLY LATER THIS EVENING



CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS

1 - bag - Milk Chocolate Chips
1 - bag - Small Pretzels
1 - box - Candycanes

Crush entire box of Candy Canes in small pieces

Melt chocolate chips

Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.

Once you have about 4-5 pretzels on the cookie sheet - sprinkle a little bit of candycane bits on top. (if you wait too long - the candycane won't stick to the chocolate)

**These are very tasty - sweet, salty with a minty flavour.





PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Peanut Butter Filling:

1 1/2 - cups - Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 3/4 - cups - Icing Sugar
1 - cup - Smooth Peanut Butter
1/2 - cup - Melted Margarine

Mix the above mixture until combined and crumbly.


Chocolate Coating:

1 - cup - Milk Chocolate Chips
3/4 - cup - Smooth Peanut Butter

Melt chips and peanut butter in a small pan.

*****************

**You can either form the mixture into balls, cool in the fridge then dip in the chocolate mixture, OR.....

**Press mixture into mini foil cup cake liners, then top with the chocolate mixture, OR.....

**I pressed the mixture into peanut butter cup shaped molds, let cool then dipped in chocolate.

Refridgerate.

Yields about 50 balls or cups

Good to freeze






GRAPE ICE CUBES

Wash & dry any type of fresh Grape. Place on a tray and freeze. Use frozen grapes as you would ice cubes.


These are great to:

**keep a drink chilled without melting and watering down your drink.

**you can also place grapes on a stir stick, freeze - then add to drinks for extra garnish.




CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

3 - cups - Milk Chocolate Chips
1 - 14 oz. can - Eagle Brand Milk (sweetened condensed)
1 - tablespoon - Vanilla

Melt chocolate chips with milk. Remove from Heat and stir in Vanilla.

Chill 2 hours or until firm and shape into balls. Roll in fine coconut or icing sugar.

*** The balls with coconut can be frozen.

***I haven't tried freezing the balls with icing sugar yet - but will be doing so and plan on dusting them with icing sugar after being removed from the freezer.

***yields about 50 bite size balls.






MINT PATTIES

6 - tablespoons - Milk
3 1/2 - tablespoons - All-purpose Flour
3 - cups - Confectioners Sugar
3/4 - teaspoon - Peppermint Extract
1 1/3 - cups - Chocolate Melting Wafers or Milk Chocolate Chips

Wisk milk into flour in small saucepan until smooth. Heat and stir on medium until boiling and thickened. Remove from heat. (**keep stirring to prevent lumps)

Add icing sugar and extract. Mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out onto icing sugar-coated surface. Knead for about 1 minute until smooth, adding more icing sugar if dough is sticky.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll out each portion on icing sugar-coated surface into 1 inch logs. Wrap logs with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temp. for at least 6 hours or overnight. Cut logs into 1/4 inch slices, re-shaping as necessary.

Place on ungreased baking sheets. Let stand, uncovered, for about 1 hour, turning at halftime, until dry.

Melt chocolate wafers or chips in saucepan. Place patties on a fork and dip into chocolate until coated. Place finished pattie on waxed paper until set.

***finishes patties freeze well

***yields about 50 - 60 mint patties






CHERRY BALLS

1/2 - cup - Butter
1 - tablespoon - Carnation Milk
1 1/2 - cups - Icing Sugar
1 1/2 - cups - Shredded Coconut
Few Drops - Vanilla Flavouring
1 Bottle - Maraschino Cherries
1 bag - Fine Cocconut or Milk Chocolate Chips for coating

Mix Butter and icing sugar, add shredded coconut, flavouring and carntion milk and mix until well combined.

Drain cherries and blot with paper towel to dry. Wrap cherries in a pinch of mixture and roll into a ball.

FOR A COCONUT COATING: Pour fine coconut into a plate or bowl - roll balls in coconut and place on tray.

FOR A CHOCOLATE COATING: After rolling, place balls on a waxed paper lined sheet and let cool in fridge for about 10 -15 minutes. Once balls are firm - Melt milk chocolate chips and dip chilled balls in the chocolate and place back on waxed paper lined sheet. Can be kept in fridge.

***NOTE***These also look nice if you use cherries with the stem. The traditional way to coat cherry balls is with graham cracker crumbs - I perfer the coconut or chocolate coating for a different look. Chocolate covered balls are my fav. as they tend to be more moist.

***These can be made ahead of time as they freeze well.

I double the batch which yields about 60+ balls.......or 50 balls if you can't keep hubby out of them!! LOL





FRUIT DIP:

1 - 250g pkg - Strawberry Cream Cheese (or plain cream cheese)
1 - Jar - Marshmallow Fluff

Mix together and chill. Serve with strawberries or fresh fruit.




CHERRY CORDIALS:

2 1/2 - cups - confectioner's sugar
2 - teaspoons - vanilla extract
1/3 - cup - heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 bottle - maraschino cherries
1 bag - milk chocolate chips (or semi sweet)

Cherry Cordial Mold or similar shape mold (or roll in balls and dip in chocolate)

Melt chocolate chips. Spread melted chocolate in molds to cover sides and bottom. Chill 1-2 minutes.

Mix by hand - confectioner's sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. Stir until dough reaches a consistency similar to pie dough.

Cut each cherry in half and blot with a paper towel to dry.

Pince off a small amount of mixture. Wrap the mixture entirely around the cherry - holl in your hands to form the shape of a small ball.

Press cherry ball into chocolate lined molds.

Cover the tops of the molds with melted chocolate. Tap mold onto a flat surface to remove air bubbles and creat a smooth surface. Chill 7-10 minutes.

Invert mold onto flat surface to remove cherry cordials

Once chocolates have reached room temperature, place in treat box or wrap with foil wraps.

***I found the cherry mixture sticky - I dusted my fingers and a surface with extra confectioner's sugar and patted bits of the mixture in the powder to make easier to handle.

***I found the cherry cordial molds at the Bulk Barn as well as the similar but larger size #MA - 225.

***If using the larger size you can use whole cherries.

***I plan on freezing mine - just remember when you take chocolate out of the freezer it tends to sweat










CANDYCANE REINDEER

Red, White, Green Pipe Cleaners
Box of Candycanes
Googly Eyes
Mini Puff Balls

Cut a pipe cleaner in half.

Take one half of the pipe cleaner and cut in half again.

Twist the larger piece of pipe cleaner around the top of the candy cane.

Twist a smaller piece of pipe cleaner around each side of the pipe cleaner already on the candy cane - about half way down.

Glue on 2 googly eyes and the little ball for the nose. (I use a glue gun)

***I took photo of the steps for easy reference.

***My daughter's class mates just love the little reindeer for a christmas treat! They are cute to give with gifts as well.

***I bought the balls and eyes at Dollarama.

***It was a better deal to get the pipecleaners at Walmart - a bag of c. 65 with Green, Red, and White - approx. $1.97










any problem - just pm me.

[karalin9]

I can't wait! Thanks so much for sharing redmouse!

[S J]

just wanted to give reffernce of this thread too here, hope Redmouse dosent minds .
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/53093-y...recipe-canada/

love those CHERRY CORDIALS, red mouse will try them! thanks

[cheryls]

these are beautiful ... you are like martha stewart but way better!

[redmouse]

just wanted to give reffernce of this thread too here, hope Redmouse dosent minds .
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/53093-y...recipe-canada/

love those CHERRY CORDIALS, red mouse will try them! thanks

Wow - thanks - I didn't know you had already started the baking section! I usually have tons of stuff done by now.....must be too busy looking for deals LOL.

NOTE: ***when baking don't let hubby in the kitchen***....mine dropped a fresh mold of cordials on the floor.....chocolate side down!

[leftie]

Look forward to your other recipes - looking for a tried and true recipe for banana bread and whipped shortbread if you have or if anyone has

[AmberLab]

What can you do when your chocolate sweats? Are they useless to give as gifts then?

[Colsgirl]

Can I ask where you bought the moulds from? They look so good, I think you should give us all a free sample!!!!

[S J]

Can I ask where you bought the moulds from? They look so good, I think you should give us all a free sample!!!!

i have seen molds in Bulk & Barn, just wash them with soapy water , dry them up and lightly whip them with a paper towel dipped in any kind of oil{any kind of edible oil}, repeat this process after every use!

[redmouse]

What can you do when your chocolate sweats? Are they useless to give as gifts then?

I freeze mine because I make so many ahead of time - there are only a few things I make that don't have a chocolate coating. They are fine to package for gifts. You may be able to leave them at room temp. and the sweat look may leave.

If you make your chocolates a few days ahead of time you can probably leave them at room temp. and package them.

You can probably make some of the things ahead of time, freeze then add the chocolate when your ready to use them.

The cordial recipie said to leave them at room temp. before packaging I have to put mine in the fridge or freezer.

hopes that helps.

[redmouse]

Can I ask where you bought the moulds from? They look so good, I think you should give us all a free sample!!!!

SJ is right - I got them at the bulk barn - you may also be able to find them at Michaels but unless you have a coupon - be prepared to pay! LOL

I will note under the recipie any hints, tips or places where I bought something you may need.

[seapotato]

lol the candycane reindeers are cute!

[redmouse]

Bump for today's recipie - Chocolate Covered Cherry balls.

[kopykatz2001]

Sneaking up to get a treat, LOL...

[courtreporter]

Those chocolate covered cherries look amazing. I might try these.