Twix on Stix

Do you remember this post?  Double stuffed caramel cookie pops are definitely yummy.  But they didn't knock my socks off.  All of the ingredients by themselves are amazing.  When you put them all together, it should have been beyond stellar.  But it wasn't.  The sum wasn't greater than the parts.   And it bugged me.   I have been stewing over it for days.

I decided that the ratio of cookie to caramel just wasn't right.  So, I tried again.  And man--can I just say.  These are a home run!!

Refer to this previous post for the basic details.  Make or melt your caramel.  Lay out your vanilla wafers, flat side up.  Dollop a half a spoon of warm caramel on the cookie.  Insert your lollipop stick into the warm caramel.  Let the caramel set-up slightly, while you dollop the rest of the cookies.  Then, add another dollop of caramel onto the top of the stick.  You want to get a substantial amount of caramel without having it drip over the sides.  It's a delicate balance.  It doesn't have to be super pretty.  The chocolate is the great equalizer.  And if the caramel is warm, it will smooth out and look nice.  Once your cookies are all gilded with caramel,  let them cool completely.  You can pop them into the fridge for a minute if you want to.  The caramel should be enough to hold the stick in place.  Now dip your caramel clad cookie into the melted chocolate.  Tap off the excess chocolate..  Place your cookies caramel side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  The cookie pops are prettier if the rounded cookie side is up.  Decorate with sprinkles or other edible decor.  I striped the cookie pops above with white chocolate.  Stick the pan in the freezer for a few minutes to set the chocolate and make it beautiful and shiny.  Or if it's super cold and dry outside at your house, like it is at mine, just set the cookie sheet outside for a minute or two. 

These are the ultimate.  They are fast becoming my favorite.  And they score high on the cuteness scale!

I love twix bars.

Homemade twix bars?  On a stick?  I'll take a dozen.

Dollipops!

I don't usually encourage my kids to play with their food--but this time I will make an exception!  These little Dolli-pops are so much fun!  I've had a little love affair with felt for many years now.  What's not to love?  It's cheap.  It doesn't fray.  It comes in all of the colors of the rainbow.  Could you ask for anything more?  These felt personalities slip right over the top of a three inch sucker.  Just draw a little face on your lolli with an edible ink pen.  Slip your pop into a 3x5 plastic treat bag and tie a bow at the bottom.  They are totally interchangeable and provide hours of entertainment.  At least until you get a hankering for a lick of that lolli!

I couldn't resist doing a little Christmas version:

Meet my little elf friend!

 And the big man himself!

And of course, a Mr. wouldn't be complete without his Mrs.

I posted a recipe for homemade lollipops here.

Click here for printable patterns.

*****

I am sharing this on Tater Tots and Jello , Skip to My Lou and I Heart Nap Time

[Christmas Candy] Lollipops

When I was five I was gifted my very own record player for my birthday.  It was so cool.  It was yellow.  I'm sure that I was the envy of all the neighborhood children.  I had lots of vinyl records.  You know, like at least ten.  All kinds of awesome kid stuff--like Sesame Street and The Sound of Music.  If you could travel back in time with me to this day in 1974, I can guarantee you that I was listening to "Snoopy's Christmas" on my record player.  I listened everyday from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  Guaranteed.  My all time favorite song on that album and really the only one that I can remember all the words to was "Christmas Candy".  I think this song shaped my life.  Christmas and candy just go together in my world.  You can't have one without the other.  Well, you could.  But it would be totally and completely wrong on every possible level.

I am finally feeling better and I have been making candy for the past couple of days.  It's one of my favorite things to do.  And I plan on making lots and lots more. Caramels, fudge, marshmallows, peanut butter cups, divinity, peppermint bark... It just doesn't get any better.

Today I made lollipops.  You need to make some too.  It's easy.  You will need some heat tolerant molds to make lollipops though.    I found some lollipop molds at the store today.  My recipe made nine large flat lollipops.  The molds cost around $2.00 each.  There are three lollipops per mold.  You also need some sticks.  You can pick those up almost anywhere (WalMart, Hobby Lobby, etc)  I also happen to have some really cool metal molds that make a 3-D spherical kind of sucker.  Kind of like a tootsie-pop without the tootsie.  Which is really too bad.  I wonder how to make your own tootsie?  I'll have to look into that.  Anyway, I made some of each kind.  Nine flat and twelve spherical.  Yum!
 
You can choose from all sorts of flavors and colors.  I used cinnamon oil and red food coloring for the first batch and butter rum oil and yellow food coloring for the second batch. Lollipops.  It's fun to say.  And even more fun to eat.  There is just something cool about that stick!  BUT, I have even bigger plans for these pops.  I will show you real soon, I promise.

I will tell you this.  You are going to want to have some pops on hand.  Trust me.  So, let's make some.  Shall we?

Be sure to lightly grease your molds before you pour in the hot syrup.  I may or may not know this from experience.  It is especially important to grease the metal molds!

If you don't have molds, you can still make hard candy.  Just pour it into a lightly greased square metal pan.  My Mom used to score it into little squares with a metal spatula while it was still warm.  Then when it had cooled she would turn it out and break it into little pieces.  Dust them with powdered sugar put them in a Christmas tin and you are good to go!

The recipe above makes translucent lollipops.  If you want to make opaque pops you will need to add some of this magical stuff.  It's a liquid white food coloring made by LorAnn.  Just add between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp of liquid whitener right after you add the flavoring and the food color.

Lollipops.  Make some.

UPDATE:  Now that you've made your pops.  Come see what fun can be had!

Double Stuffed Caramel Cookie Pops

 

Are you hosting a cookie exchange?  Are you attending a cookie exchange?  This is the cookie for you!
It's yummy and it's beautiful.  And just between you and me...it's super easy.

I am not sure where this recipe originated.  A friend of mine brought it to a cookie exchange a few years back.  She walked away with the grand prize.  How's that for a sales pitch?

You will need four ingredients:

vanilla wafers
caramel
chocolate discs
sprinkles

This isn't one of those precise recipes.  You pretty much just wing it.

As for the caramel ...pretty much anything goes.  Do you like to make your own?  Fabulous!  Do it.  Do it right now.  Do you have candy thermometer-a-phobia?  (Yes, I am sure that's a real word!)  No problem.  I have a suggestion for you.  It's called Peter's Caramel.  It comes in a large golden brick of deliciousness.  Just cut off what you need, and put it in a cup or bowl.  Melt it slowly in the microwave (50% power for 30 second intervals until it's melted and smooth) or in a double boiler.  I usually find Peter's Caramel at my local candy supply store.  It can also be found online.  Another less delicious but equally viable option is to use Kraft Caramels and melt according to package directions.  Place a dollop of melted caramel on the flat side of each vanilla wafer.  I used a regular spoon (the kind you eat your cereal with in the morning) and filled it about half-way.  Then I took another spoon to scrape it onto the cookie.  Let the caramel set for a minute.

Take two caramel laden cookies.  Place a lollipop stick in the middle and carefully squish the cookies together.  The double caramel makes all the difference.  Really.  I'm not going to lie to you.  If you skimp on the caramel you will be sorry.

Now slowly melt your chocolate discs in a small bowl or cup in the microwave.  Again, use 50% power for thirty second intervals.  Stir after each.  Once your chocolate is smooth and lump free, you are ready to dip.  Carefully dip each cookie pop into the chocolate.  Tap off the excess.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Decorate with sprinkles if desired.  Place in the freezer for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.  You can also stripe with contrasting chocolate colors (like white or red or green) or decorate with royal icing.

You can alter this recipe to make as many or as few as you like.  I made twenty-five pops with 1 cup of caramel and a couple of handfuls of chocolate discs.

Package them up and deliver them to all of your loveliest friends.

Update:  I have improved upon these a bit.  Check here if you want to know how.