Candy Canes!

I follow quite a few baking and craft blogs and one of my favorites is, 

Mom on Timeout. 

And she had a post last week titled, 

17 Candy Cane Recipes and Crafts

Find it here

http://www.momontimeout.com/2012/12/17-candy-canes-recipes-crafts/

Anyway, one of the crafts were these adorable candy sleighs that were featured on 

Ellyn's Place

http://ellynsplace.blogspot.com/2011/12/candy-sleighs.html

And I had to try them. They are quite simple to make and you can customize them any way you like.

Here are the two I have put together so far.

Chocolatey covered mints

Chocolatey covered mints

Recipe

4 ounces cream cheese-softened
3 tablespoons butter-softened
3/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops green food coloring
1 bag of milk chocolate chips or Candiquik coating

Combine all ingredients and then place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. When chilled roll into balls and then place back in fridge while you melt the chocolate.

To melt the chocolate chips, I used two saucepans. Fill the bottom pan halfway with water and pour the chocolate chips in the smaller top pan. Heat on the stove on low, stirring until the chocolate melts.

Dip and roll the mint balls in the chocolate and place on wax paper and then place in refrigerator until set.

Melt in your mouth sweetness!

The original recipe had double the ingredients, did not use mint extract, but used peppermint extract, and was not dipped in chocolate, but was pushed through a pastry bag with a star tip.

 Use peppermint extract, omit food coloring, roll mixture into a log shape, slice, and then dip in dark chocolate to make peppermint patties.

This recipe was shared on facebook by Alexis Sayler you can follow her here https://www.facebook.com/alexissalyers07

Melt in your mouth truffles

Quick and easy chocolate truffles

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1- package white chocolate chips
flavoring, (mint,cherry, strawberry, maple etc.)
white and milk chocolate candy coating

Melt white chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl. Stir in sweetened condensed milk.
I separated mine into 3 bowls and added strawberry flavor to one, butterscotch flavor to another, and watermelon flavor to the last one.
Chill until firm. Using a teaspoon size amount, roll into a ball, and dip into melted candy coating and place on wax paper to set.

Note; you can also use milk chocolate chips instead of the white ones. Depending on the size of the balls, this recipe makes apprx. 48 pieces of candy.