Competing for scarce fund-raising dollars becomes more challenging every day. You need something eye-catching and startling, yet familiar enough that people will not be afraid to try it. Compost Compotes, Wormy Apples, Sandy Claws and Snowman S'mores will draw attention from the moment you set up your sales table. Otherwise known as dirt cake, candy apples, bear claws and s'mores, these treats, by these other names, will taste sweeter and sell faster than run-of-the-mill brownies, sugar cookies and banana bread.
Compost Compotes
You will need a 1-lb package of chocolate sandwich creme cookies, a tub of whipped topping, two 8-oz packages of cream cheese, a 3-oz box of dry instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 lb of gummy worms, plastic compote dishes, plastic spoons, plastic wrap, scissors and curling ribbon in your choice of colors.
Crush the cookies and spoon an inch or two into each compote dish so that it looks like a pile of dirt, reserving the remaining crushed cookies.
Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Mix it with a fork with the dry instant pudding mix until well-blended. Fold in the whipped topping gently, so it doesn't lose its fluffiness.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the compote dishes, on top of the crushed cookies. Sprinkle with more crushed cookies so that it looks like dirt.
Place three gummy worms in each dish as if they are coming out of the dirt. Drape two more worms over the edges of the dish. Wrap a final worm around the plastic spoon and stick it into the compote dish, off to one side. Cover the compote dishes with plastic wrap and tie curling ribbon around the stem of each dish.
Wormy Apples
Use Mutsu, Rome, Washington or Granny Smith apples to make Wormy Apples. These are all firm-fleshed, slightly tart apples with strong apple flavor. Rinse 12 apples and pat dry to removed any dirt or pesticide residue on the skin. Insert lollipop sticks into apples.
Use 4 cups of white granulated sugar, 2 cups water and 12 cinnamon hard-candy disks in a large saucepan or Dutch oven to make the candy apple coating mix. Boil candy apple coating to the hard-crack stage, stirring constantly. Hard-crack stage is 300 to 310 degrees F at a rolling boil for one full minute. According to The Science of Cooking at Exploratorium.edu, The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.
Working quickly, remove candy mixture from heat. Use the sticks to dip and roll the apples into the candy mixture until well-coated. Lay each apple stick-up on a 12-inch square of plastic wrap. Pull the corners of the plastic wrap as close to the top of the stick as you can and twist together until the plastic wrap is tight against the apple. Tie with curling ribbon and arrange on a platter.
Sandy Claws
Roll 2-inch balls of refrigerated yeast-rising bread or biscuit dough. Knead each ball twice and press into an oval on a nonstick baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to make 4 cuts from the center of each oval to one edge to form a basic claw shape. Allow claws to rise until they double, which may take 10 to 30 minutes.
While you wait for the claws to rise, sift together 1 cup crushed pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Sprinkle nut and sugar mixture generously over each claw. This mixture will melt during cooking to form a soft glaze. Bake claws for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees F or until claw bottoms are golden brown.
Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals. Place this sand in a brown paper lunch sack. Shake each warm claw in the sand mixture and place on a plate. Garnish the plate with three spearmint gumdrop leaves and three cinnamon berries.
Snowman S'mores
Use royal icing to secure the various parts of your s'more. Royal icing is made by adding 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar to your icing recipe. Regular icing is made with 2 cups powdered sugar creamed into 1/2 cup shortening. Spread icing on a graham cracker and place half of a chocolate bar on top to serve as a base for your snowman.
Use pretzel sticks to stack three marshmallows on top of one another. Using pretzels instead of toothpicks to hold the marshmallows together makes the entire dessert edible. It also avoids the chance that someone might bite through a toothpick and choke. Insert two additional pretzel sticks for arms and push a mini marshmallow onto each arm for hands.
Use fruit leather cut into strips to make scarves for your snowmen. Wrap a scarf around the neck of each one. You can use mini chocolate chips held in place with royal icing as eyes and buttons. A short piece of red or black shoestring licorice is flexible enough to make a mouth.
Top each snowman with a thin mint patty candy for a hat brim. Add a round chocolate-coated caramel cream candy for the top of the hat. Use more fruit leather strips to make a hat band. Place each Snowman S'more in a clear cellophane treat bag and tie with curling ribbon.
Related Posts:
Make Cookie Party Favors
Dip fortune cookies in chocolate for an unusual party favor.Taking prepared cookies and decorating them with melted chocolate is an easy way to make a party favor or an unusual dessert item to ser...
Make A Ring Costume
An engagement ring is one possible inspiration for a ring costume.The next time you're invited to a costume party and want a quick, easy costume to wear, consider going as a ring. Perfect for the...
Make Your Own Fondue Pot
Make Your Own Fondue PotFondue is a cheesy or chocolaty dip used for fruits, veggies and bread, and is often traditional for New Year's dinners and romantic date nights. While buying an expensive...
Make White Chocolate Fondue
Make White Chocolate FondueFondue, once a staple of 1960s and 1970s dinner parties, has returned. A white chocolate fondue is a deliciously fun twist on an old favorite, and the dipping possibilit...
Make Party Favors For A 60th Birthday
Making your own party favors takes little time.A 60th birthday is a milestone birthday. If you are planning a birthday party for yourself or a loved one who is turning 60, make this milestone memo...
