Using leftover treats
BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Monday, October 31, 2011
10/31/11 at 4:06 AM
Some neighborhoods get more than their fair share of trick-or-treaters. In others, the Halloween activity is hit-or-miss.
But the true spirit of the holiday tells us to always be prepared with plenty of candy anyway. No one wants to find out what it's like to be tricked.
That means some homes will wind up with an abundance of candy, between the leftovers and the candy collected by the youngsters of the household. Studies show that there will likely be a good amount of chocolate in the pile.
A survey by National Confectioners Association shows that bite-sized chocolate candies are the most popular type of Halloween candy, preferred by 76 percent of those questioned.
Parents admit that their favorite treats to sneak from their kids' trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars, the survey shows. And, at least 90 percent of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their children's candy collections.
According to Hershey's, the chocolate and peanut butter treat, Reese's, is the company's top brand at Halloween.
Every Halloween season, Hershey's sells approximately 500 million Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The company has calculated that if you were to lay all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups sold each Halloween side by side, there would be enough to go half way around the world, or across the U.S. five times.
So, if you find yourself with a daunting amount of candy after Halloween, here are some ideas for different ways to use it:
Make a shake: Take one cup milk and one cup ice cream and blend them with chopped candy bars. Serve in a tall glass with a spoon or freeze for about a half hour, if you prefer it more solid.
Sweeten up trail mix: Chop up chocolate candies and add to salty sweets such as pretzels and potato chips. Add dried fruits like cranberries and banana chips.
Bake some cookies: Hard candies can brighten up sugar cookies. Make sugar cookies with cut outs in the middle and place the hard candy in the empty space. As it cooks, it will melt to look like stained glass. Chocolate candies can be chopped and added to your favorite chocolate cookie recipe. And, of course, M&M cookies are a classic.
Build a house: Save some of the brightly-colored candy and build that gingerbread house that you have always dreamed about this holiday season.
Stuff a pinata: Make your own pinata out of papier mache or buy one at a party supply or craft store. Kids will look forward to taking a swing at the pinata at your next gathering this holiday season.
Send it to our troops: You can always save some of the candy and send the rest to deployed soldiers. There is more information about how to donate candy at tulsaworld.com/operationgratitude
SENSATIONAL PEPPERMINT PATTIE BROWNIES
24 small (1 1/2 inch) York Peppermint Patties
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for a glass baking dish). Remove wrappers from peppermint patties. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Add eggs; beat until well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. Reserve 2 cups batter. Spread remaining batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties about 1/2 inch apart in single layer over batter. Spread reserved 2 cups batter over patties.
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into squares. About 36 brownies.
- Hershey's
HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 (6-ounce) Hershey's milk chocolate bar, broken into pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Coated Ice Cream Cone (recipe follows)
Orange Frosting (recipe follows)
Decorator Frosting (recipe follows)
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan.
2. Stir together chocolate bar pieces, butter and water in medium bowl until chocolate is melted. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl; gradually add butter mixture, beating until well blended. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; beat on medium speed 1 minute. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare Chocolate Coated Ice Cream Cone. Drizzle Orange Frosting over cake. Place ice cream cone into center of cake for pumpkin stem. Using leaf decorating tip, pipe leaves onto "pumpkin" with Decorator Frosting.
Chocolate Coated Ice Cream Cone: Place 1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 1 tablespoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50 percent power) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at medium an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Spoon melted chocolate over outside of flat-bottom ice cream cone. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.
Orange Frosting: Place 1/3 cup butter or margarine in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium (50 percent) 1 minute or until melted. Stir in 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons hot water for desired consistency. Stir in red and yellow food color for desired color.
Decorator Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon meringue powder in small bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat on high speed of mixer until stiff. Stir in green food color for desired color.
- Hershey's
CHOCOLATE BAR CAKE
2 boxes chocolate cake mix - Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate Cake
12 ounces cream cheese
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
18 ounces chocolate candy bars such as Hershey's with almonds, Reese's or Butterfinger
18 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
1. Prepare both cakes according to package directions. Pour equally into three 8-inch greased and floured pans. Bake until done (15 to 20 minutes). Cool 15 minutes in pan, remove and cool completely on rack.
2. Using a long knife, remove the crown from the cake layers so that each is flat on top. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and granulated sugar at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy.
3. Chop 16.5 ounces of the candy bars into small pieces. Chop remaining chocolate candy into larger pieces and reserve.
4. Fold cream cheese mixture, chopped candy (16.5 ounces) and whipped topping together. Spread mixture between cake layers, on top and on sides of cake.
5. Sprinkle reserved chocolate bars on top of cake. Keep cake cool until served.
PEANUT BUTTER CUP LOVER'S CHEESECAKE
1 3/4 cups (about 11 to 12 standard) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
1/2 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter
PEANUT BUTTER CRUMB CRUST (recipe follows)
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Additional Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (optional)
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare Peanut Butter Crumb Crust.
2. Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups. Cut each cup into about 16 pieces.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy in large bowl. Add eggs, beating well. Add sour cream and vanilla; blend thoroughly.
4. Place 2 cups batter in separate bowl; blend in melted chocolate. Pour chocolate batter into prepared pan. Add peanut butter to remaining batter; blend thoroughly. Gently stir in peanut butter cup pieces; spread over chocolate batter.
5. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake additional 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set.
6. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, garnish with sweetened whipped cream and additional peanut butter cup pieces, if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.
PEANUT BUTTER CRUMB CRUST
1. Stir together 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers, crushed) and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl.
2. Place 1/4 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter and 3 tablespoons butter or margarine in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium 30 seconds or until butter is melted and mixture is well blended when stirred.
3. Add to crumb mixture, blending thoroughly. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch springform pan.
- Hershey's
Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Sensational Peppermint Pattie Brownies
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Lover's Cheesecake
Halloween Chocolate Cake, a recipe that uses chopped up candy.
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