You Need to Bring a Treat TODAY?
Fun Holiday Treats on a Moment's Notice
You read all the flyers your child brings home. You check your email for a note from the PTA. Review the school calendar that is front and center on the refrigerator. You even riffle through the backpacks that slump just inside the front door. Whatever you do it just isn't enough.
If it isn't for school, it's for Scouts. If not for Scouts, then for the sports team. Or for church bake sale, or temple women's group, or for Pammy's baby shower, or the birthday of the new guy at work, or a plate full of apology after you saw the job your son did clearing the walk for your neighbor.
TREATS. Whatever the holiday: the world loves treats., and you will be asked to produce them at a moment's notice. And those moments come fast and furious in December. Fear not- I got you!
The Basic Treat: Peppermint Bark
(My coworkers called it Sugar Crack. Do NOT tell that to your children and then send them to school. That is just asking for trouble.)
This basic 'recipe' makes use of easy-to-find December pantry staples. Hit the local dollar store now (before all of the prices are changed to a dollar-and-a-quarter) and buy a half-dozen packs of candy canes. Toss in some white chocolate and milk chocolate melts or chips. Be exotic and add some semi-sweet or dark chocolate, too. Now you are set to create this treat several times this month.
Put some parchment paper on a cookie sheet, or else a thin smear of butter. If you have metal sheets like mine then don't even bother. When this is solid just flex that bad boy and the bark will pop right off.
Put the candy melts or chips in a bowl in the microwave and zap it for 40 seconds, stir and zap it some more until it melts. I suggest using only white chocolate for the kids, as brown chocolate is no one's friend once it melts, and it will melt and get everywhere!
Next crush the candy canes. (Pro Tip: UNWRAP them first! Then place them in a heavyweight zip bag and whack at them with a heavy ladle. Let your kids do this if you like.)
Assemble the treat. Smear the melted candy on the sheet (3 bags of chips are enough to cover one cookie sheet.) about a quarter of an inch thick. Sprinkle it with the crushed candy canes, pushing the candy pieces lightly into the cooling chocolate. Let fully cool then break it into chunks.
Variations: swirl white and dark chocolate for a marbled effect, or layer it as shown in the photo above. Have a favorite-flavor candy cane? I've seen some pickle-flavored, hey- no judgement here! If that is you, color the white chocolate to match before adding the candy canes. OR- choose candy canes to match school colors.
Petite Sweets: Jello (aka Flavored Gelatin) Candy Melts
I don't suggest these for the kiddos: I have never seen a child stop eating sweets because they have had too much sugar. No- make these for adults, and even so I suggest using them to round off a nice plate with nut bread or fancy nuts. These babies are SUH-WEET!
You will need just four ingredients: one pound of powdered (also called icing) sugar, one 8 oz block of softened cream cheese, four tablespoons of your favorite flavor powdered gelatin mix, and yup!- plain white sugar with which to coat these sugary buttons.
The recipe is easy: beat the cream cheese into submission and incorporate the powdered sugar. (Pro Tip: add the powdered sugar slowly, and if using a mixer start those beaters SLOWLY after you add the sugar since it will go EVERYWHERE if you don't.) Add four tablespoons of the flavored gelatin mix and beat it some more.
Grab a piece of this sugary clay, use a half-inch or about half the size of the tip of your thumb. Roll it into a ball, roll that in the white sugar, then flatten it. That's it. Store them tightly covered in the refrigerator. If you are feeling fancy: use strawberry gelatin mix and top with a slice of freeze-dried strawberry, then tell folks they are strawberry cheesecake lozenges. People won't know what they are, but lozenges sound vaguely British so they will assume they are fancy and won't ask too many questions.
Mini Rudolphs
Folks that read the Halloween treat post know that I am firm believer in using candy eyes. They can jazz up almost anything, and are perfect for this easy treat. If you didn't bulk up on them the way I'd advised or you can't find them now, use mini-M&Ms or mini-white chocolate chips or the eyes.
Once again our ally the candy cane comes into play. If you bought the mini ones as part of your December staples then you are all set, just unwrap and use two per reindeer. You will also need two candy eyes and one red candy-coated chocolate (M&M or Smarties), and about a heaping tablespoon of melted chocolate to complete each member of the herd.
To assemble: Place two candy canes on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet. (Pro Tip: leave a little room at the bottom for the 'neck' or to add a lollipop stick before filling with chocolate.) Fill the space between the canes with melted chocolate, add the eyes and the nose before the chocolate hardens. You can use a spoon to dribble in the chocolate, but make it easier for yourself and use a zip bag with a corner cut off to hold the melted chocolate and squeeze gently to fill the space. Once hardened peel off of the paper and keep in a cool place.
You Need it WHEN? Healthy Treat
No time for chocolate to set up? Need it now? Whip up a gaggle of snowmen using individually-wrapped cheese sticks and a black permanent marker. If you have the time and the materials, add a ribbon scarf, a felt (or paper) hat, and an carrot-orange nose. No extra sugar in this snack. Pack in a bag or box with a frozen gel pack to keep them at their best until snack time. (Pro tip: keep a homemade cold pack in the freezer for boo-boos and snowmen: wet a sponge and wring most of the water out. Place the sponge in a freezer bag and toss in the freezer until needed. Can be used over and over, and there's little mess even if they open the bag.)
For more fun ideas and delicious recipes: check out the Vocal Cooks Collaborate; where talented Vocal creators are regularly sharing favorite recipes and stories.
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About the Creator
Judey Kalchik
It's my time to find and use my voice.
Poetry, short stories, memories, and a lot of things I think and wish I'd known a long time ago.
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Comments (2)
I cannot believe I miss this, Great suggestion. You can share this every year 💗
Cute ideas!