Candy Making for Kids Read Free

peppermints, Jolly Ranchers or other hard candies
5 white lollipop sticks
red hots, gum drops, M&M’s, jelly beans, etc., for decorating the lollipops
white bark or royal icing as glue
    Remove wrappers from hard candy pieces. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange 5 peppermints in a circle. The Jolly Ranchers can be 2 side-by-side wide and 2 deep, using 4 Jolly Ranchers for 1 lollipop. Only arrange 4 lollipops on 1 cookie sheet, allowing for the candies to melt and spread out. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F and bake for 6 minutes. As soon as candy comes out of the oven, push a stick into it before candy hardens. Use melted white bark or royal icing as glue to decorate the lollipops.

Almond Rocky Road Bites
    Makes 3 to 4 dozen (40 pieces)
     
     
1-1/2 pounds Hershey’s chocolate bars with almonds
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped
1-1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup miniature marshmallows
    Melt chocolate bars in heatproof bowl in a microwave at 15-second intervals. Stir in peanut butter and mix until smooth. Combine nuts and cereal in a large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal mixture and mix well. Stir in miniature marshmallows. Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Let cool and set for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Sweet Creations
    Crazy Caterpillars
    Makes 8 caterpillars
     
     
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows (or 20 regular-size marshmallows)
candy eyes, hard candies, mini M&M’s and pretzels
    Pour cereal in a large bowl. Melt butter and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add marshmallows and stir with wooden spoon until melted and smooth. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and stir well. Use hands (spray with non-stick spray to prevent sticking) to form 40 1-inch balls. Combine 4 krispie balls to make each caterpillar. Use candy eyes, hard candies, M&M’s and pretzels to make caterpillar eyes, faces and feet.

Bird Nests
    Makes 16 nests
     
     
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (11-ounce) package butterscotch chips (or peanut butter chips)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanuts
1 large can (2 cups) chow mein noodles
    Combine vegetable oil, butterscotch chips and salt in a microwaveable bowl. Melt at 30-second intervals until smooth. Combine nuts and noodles in a medium bowl. Pour melted butterscotch over nuts and noodles and stir well to coat. Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray to make it easier to mold nests from the mixture. Working quickly, form 2-inch nests while the mixture is still warm and then lay on a cooking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Allow to cool and then peel off paper.

Bird Eggs
    Makes 50 eggs
     
     
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
3 drops blue liquid food coloring
1 drop yellow liquid food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup granulated sugar
    Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, food coloring and extracts until dough forms. Knead in pecans until mixed well. Form 1-inch oval-shaped eggs and roll in sugar. Allow to set on parchment paper or store in airtight container until ready to use.

Seashell Pearls
    Makes 50 pearls
     
     
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
pearl disco dust
    Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and extracts until dough forms. Form 1/2-to 1-inch balls. Use a paintbrush to tap disco dust on balls for a pearl shimmer. Allow to set on parchment paper or store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Candy Pizza
    Makes 8 pizzas
     
     
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
red and yellow food coloring
1 jar red maraschino cherries
1 jar green maraschino cherries
red gum drops
black licorice
16 ounces white bark coating
3-and 4-inch cutters
    Place coconut in a bowl. Add 2 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red food coloring on the