Fun With Peppermints
This is why I love Martha so, her cleverness is timeless. In the Winter 2005 edition of her now defunct Kids magazine, they did an entire article “Playing With Peppermint”. If you are still looking for great holiday activities to do with the kids, here’s a great play-date inspiration, a peppermint candy workshop! (All photos from Martha Stewart Kids, unless noted)
Load up on all kinds of peppermints, including candy canes, candy pillows, sticks and balls, in all sizes, and whip up a batch of royal icing, which will be the glue to holding your creations together.
Yes, these peppermint topiaries are quite easy to create, though a little time consuming, but are totally worth it! Use them as a decor element, and have your kids help you make a few.
This adorable cottage is a cinch to make; the base is a small milk carton (put masking tape over the indentation at the top) that is covered in royal icing. They used peppermint squares for the door panels and licorice laces for the window frame. Although they made a whole scene on top of sturdy cardboard and royal icing, a paper plate covered in frosting will do just nicely, especially if they are going to other homes. Add a few friends to the scene.
1. Snowman how-to
Join small and large peppermint balls and a broken-off piece of peppermint stick with icing. Pipe hat trim and scarf. Use a toothpick to dot icing onto nonpareils. Let dry two hours. (My two cents – use small decorator tubes of icing for the same effect.)
2. Mouse how-to
Join small and large peppermint balls with icing. For ears, trim two cinnamon candies; attach with icing. Use a smaller cinnamon candy for the nose. For tail, hold a mini candy cane under warm running water to remove the stripes; attach with more icing. Let dry two hours.
Create edible hanging ornaments with peppermint candies. Add more types of candies if you choose.
3. Ornament how-to
Lay 5 or so candies in a circle to form a wreath; bond sides together with icing. Adorn the front with cinnamon candies or mints. Let dry two hours before hanging. Loop baker’s twine around the ornament and knot.
Melt mints to create fun lollipops for your guests. Arrange unwrapped mints two inches apart on a baking sheet (use a nonstick baking mat) then heat at 350 degrees for eight minutes. Press lollipop sticks into base, then return to oven for one minute.
Transform store-bought (GASP!) vanilla ice-cream by stirring in peppermint extract and crushed candy, then layer it between sugar cookies to create your own ice-cream sandwiches.
Serve a peppermint yule log, made with red-velvet cake and fluffy peppermint frosting.
Dazzle them with peppermint eggnog, and if you are so inclined not to make your own eggnog, I can’t imagine why you can’t add a dash (and I do mean dash, it’s highly concentrated) of peppermint extract to the store-bought version?