Wilton Marshmallow Fondant | Sweet (Stabilized) Stiff Whipped Cream | Smooth Shiny Cookie Icing | Royal Icing | No Fail Sugar Cookies | Homemade Edible Sugar Lace Recipe | Classic Spritz Cookies | Homemade Gummies | Coconut Haystacks | Chocolate Truffles | Peanut Caramel Clusters | Chocolate Covered Cherries | Turtle Pretzels | Easy Toffee Brittle | Easy Peppermint Brittle | Oreo Truffles | Texas Bon Bons | Rocky Road Candy | Cherry Mash | Five Minute Chocolate Fudge | Five Minute White Fudge | Peanut Butter Balls | Cake Stuff Classroom Buttercream Icing | Cream Cheese Mints

Wilton Marshmallow Fondant

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

  • 2-5 tbsp. water

  • 2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners sugar

  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving for 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

2. Place 3/4 of the confectioners sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in an easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with your fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto the counter. Start kneading as you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn’t stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until the fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

3. It’s best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storage by coating it with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and then placing it in a resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

4. When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead the fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.

Sweet (Stabilized) Stiff Whipped Cream

Sweet Stabilized Whipped Cream keeps its shape for days and in the heat. Now you can make desserts with whipped cream ahead of time!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin (I used Knox Gelatin)

  • 4 tsp. cold water

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 1/8 cup confectioners sugar

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Chill a metal mixing bowl and the beaters to your mixer.

2. Meanwhile, add water to a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top.

3. Allow gelatin to soften for a minute. (This is called "blooming".)

4. Whisk water and gelatin together, then microwave for one minute.

5. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

6. Allow mixture to come to room temperature.

7. Meanwhile, beat cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla until it’s very softly whipped and

you start to see the beater trails.

8. Continue beating, and pour in the gelatin mixture in a steady stream.

9. Beat until the whipping cream is stiff. (But don’t beat too long!)

10. Use immediately or refrigerate for later use.

11. This whipping cream will hold its shape for several days.

Smooth & Shiny Cookie Icing

INGREDIENTS

  • 2# Pure Cane Powdered Sugar

  • 1/4 cup Boiling Water

  • 2/3 cup Evaporated Milk (not fat-free)

  • 2/3 cup Corn Syrup

  • 2 tsp. Vanilla

  • 2 tsp. White Food Color

  • 1/2 tsp. SALT

Boil water in a medium saucepan; combine milk, syrup, and vanilla in a separate bowl and add to boiling water. While stirring, return to a soft boil. Remove from heat. Blend sugar, salt, and flavor into a liquid mixture with a mixer. Add color. Let cool.

Hardens nicely but not rock hard like Royal. It is slightly shiny when dry, tastes great, and stacks great too.

This is not an easy icing to learn to use, but with a little patience, it will definitely pay off. YUM!

If used for flooding on cookies, you will need to pipe the dam with royal icing.

Royal Icing

Before starting, make sure no traces of oil or grease are on the surface of any utensils or bowls coming into contact with royal icing. These will cause the icing to break down.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups sifted powdered sugar

  • 3 tbsp. Meringue Powder

  • 6 tbsp. water* (*Use 1 tbsp. less for stiffer icing.)

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 2 tsp. (oil-free) flavor

  • Mix on medium speed for approximately 10 minutes, or until icing holds a stiff peak.

Icing should be used within 2 hours. After this time, icing will need to be beaten again.

Be sure all tips and bowls with royal icing in them are covered with a damp cloth to prevent crusting. If icing crusts, it must be disposed of. Do not try to stir back into the icing.

To store the remaining icing, press cling wrap onto the icing before covering the bowl with a lid. Store the bowl inverted at room temperature for 3-4 weeks. Icing will separate and need to be beaten before using again. Icing may be frozen for up to 6 months. When ready to use, thaw and beat for 10 minutes.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees at least ½ hour before baking these or any other cookies.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 cups flour (not firmly packed)

  • 1 tbsp. baking powder

  • 2 cups lightly salted butter

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tsp. vanilla or desired flavoring

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and flavoring. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to the butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.

You may use it immediately or chill 1 to 2 hours.

Roll to ¼” thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn brown. This recipe makes approximately 5 dozen 3” cookies.

Hint: Take the freshly made dough and place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll out and place dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop in the fridge. Continue rolling dough like this until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the first batch will be chilled and ready to cut. Re-roll leftover dough and repeat the process. An added bonus: no additional flour in your cookie dough!

Homemade Edible Sugar Lace Recipe

The original RECIPE by Dawn Edwards has meringue powder – if you want you can add 1/4 tsp of meringue powder but I have tried it without and it works perfectly fine.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp. Tylose powder

  • 1/4 cup Boiling water

  • 1 tbsp. Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar/icing sugar)

  • 2 tbsp. Cornstarch

  • 1/2 tsp. Light corn syrup

  • A drop of white gel food color or any color you want the lace to be

1. Add Tylose to boiling water and with a small fork mix until you get a clear mixture. (approx. 10 minutes)

2. When the mix is clear, add confectioner sugar and cornstarch – mix again.

3. Then add your corn syrup.

4. Add white edible color – mix well.

5. This mix can be kept in the refrigerator for a week. To work with it leave it at room temperature to soften.

6. Once you have made the lace, you can store it between parchment paper in an airtight container.

7. To use – just spread lace as thin as possible in the lace mats.

8. Place in the oven at 110 F for 10 to 15 minutes or air dry overnight depending on the humidity level.

9. As soon as it leaves the sides and looks dry – you can test from the corner first.

You can double this recipe successfully. I have used it very successfully making almost 3 times this amount. It works really well and the lace really has a long shelf life. I have some kept over a few months and they are still soft and gorgeous.

Classic Spritz Cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 1 egg

  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract or vanilla

  • Food color, if desired

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon. Stir in flour, salt, egg, flavoring, and a few drops of food color.

2. Place dough in the cookie press. Form desired shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. To decorate cookies after baking, use a drop of corn syrup to attach decorations to cookies.

Homemade Gummies

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 oz. flavored gelatin (do not use sugar-free)

  • 1 envelope (1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin

  • 1/3 cup cold water

  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. citric acid (optional, for sour gummies)

  • Silicone candy molds

  • Candy dropper

1. Spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray, then rub it lightly around the bear cavities in the mold, to coat them with a thin layer of oil.

2. In a small bowl, combine both gelatins and the cold water. Whisk them together, then let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to soak up the water and soften.

3. Microwave the bowl for 30 seconds, then whisk well. Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir. If the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks clear, it is time to drop it into the molds. If not, microwave for another 10 to 15 seconds until all of the sugar and gelatin have dissolved into the water.

4. Drop the gelatin into the cavities. You should get about 14 1 1/2-inch bears from this recipe.

5. Place the candy mold in the refrigerator to set the gelatin, for about 20 minutes. To remove the bears, carefully push the sides away from the edges and toward the center, then pull them up and out of the molds. Repeat with other colors and flavors of gelatin, as desired.

6. Gummy Bears can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature for several weeks.

HOW TO MAKE SOUR GUMMIES

After the gelatin has been microwaved, and the mixture is fluid and smooth, whisk in 1/4 tsp. citric acid. Taste it, and add up to an additional 1/4 tsp. citric acid if you want a more sour taste.

Coconut Haystacks

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 heaping cup Toasted Coconut

  • 10 oz. Alpine White Chocolate wafers

Melt Alpine White Chocolate and fold in toasted coconut.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper to set.

Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine Milk Chocolate

  • 1 cup Whipping Cream

  • Large pinch of salt (optional, but preferred)

Place chocolate in a mixing bowl.  Put your cream in a saucepan and place over medium heat.  Allow the cream to heat until simmering and almost boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for about 3-5 minutes. Add your salt into the bowl at this point if using. Put your whisk into the center of the chocolate cream mixture and begin whisking in small circles going in one direction and slowly moving outward until the mixture is smooth. Place the ganache in the refrigerator uncovered until the mixture becomes solid, about 1 hour, before scooping and shaping.  Roll into balls, dip in melted Alpine Milk Chocolate, and place on parchment paper to set.

This recipe can be made with White, Milk, or Dark Chocolate.  You could also roll some of these in Dutch Processed Cocoa or Chocolate Jimmies instead of dipping them in chocolate.

Peanut Caramel Clusters

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine Milk Chocolate Wafers

  • 1 - 10oz. can of Spanish Peanuts

  • ½ bag of Caramel Bits

Melt Alpine chocolate and add peanuts and caramel bits.  Mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper to set.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Pour melted Alpine milk chocolate (approx. ½ t.) in each cavity of a bon-bon mold.  With a small brush, smooth chocolate up around the sides.  Set in fridge for about 5 minutes.  Add just enough cherry juice to dry fondant to make a paste.  Drain cherries on a paper towel.  Take the mold out of the fridge.  Add cherries and juice mix.  Finish covering with chocolate.  Set in fridge until set.  Pop-out of mold.

Turtle Pretzels

Dip Thick pretzel rods in melted caramel, leaving about 3” uncoated.  After it has set, dip in melted Alpine Milk Chocolate.  Lay on parchment paper to dry and sprinkle with crushed pecans.

Easy Toffee Brittle

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine Milk Chocolate wafers

  • ¼# Crushed Toffee Crunch

Melt milk chocolate and fold toffee pieces into it.  Pour out on parchment paper and let set. Break apart into bite-size pieces.

Easy Peppermint Brittle

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine White Chocolate wafers

  • ¼# Crushed Red and Green Peppermint Crunch

Melt white chocolate and fold peppermint pieces into it.  Pour out on parchment paper and let set.  Break apart into bite-size pieces.

Oreo Truffles

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pkg. (18 oz.) Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese (softened)

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs and set aside for later use.  Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs.  Mix with crème cheese until blended.  Roll into 1” balls, chill.  Dip in melted Alpine milk chocolate, place on parchment paper, and sprinkle with reserved crushed cookies.  Refrigerate.

(These are also very good dipped in Alpine white chocolate!)

Texas Bon Bons

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Dry Fondant

  • ½ can Eagle Brand Milk

  • 2 tbsp. Butter

  • 1 cup Finely chopped pecans

  • ½ cup Desiccated Coconut

  • 4 drops Lorann Coconut Oil

Mix ingredients together and scoop into balls, chill.  Dip in melted Alpine milk chocolate.

Rocky Road Candy

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine Milk Chocolate wafers

  • 3 cup Mini Marshmallows

  • 1 ½ cup Coarsely Broken Nuts

Melt wafers and combine all ingredients.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper to dry.

Cherry Mash

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Dry Fondant

  • ½ stick Butter

  • 1 t. Vanilla

  • ½ can Eagle Brand Milk

  • 1 cup Cherry-flavored chips (grind in a food processor)

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl, chill.  Scoop into 1” balls, rechill.  Dip into melted Alpine Milk Chocolate wafers combined with finely chopped peanuts or pecans.  Lay out on parchment paper to dry.

Five Minute Chocolate Fudge

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine Milk Chocolate Wafers

  • 1 can Eagle Brand Milk

Melt chocolate.  Warm the milk slightly, but be careful not to scald it.  Mix the two together and stir until blended.  Pour into a pan greased with cooking spray and place in the fridge to set.

Feel free to add nuts, sprinkles, or even Peanut Butter.  Be creative.

Five Minute White Fudge

INGREDIENTS

  • 1# Alpine White Chocolate wafers

  • 1 can Eagle Brand Milk

Melt chocolate.  Warm the milk slightly, but be careful not to scald it.  Mix the two together and stir until blended.  Pour into a pan greased with cooking spray and place in the fridge to set.

Peanut Butter Balls

INGREDIENTS

  • 18 oz. JIF Creamy Peanut Butter

  • 1# Dry Fondant

  • 1 Stick of Butter (softened)

  • 3# Alpine Milk Chocolate wafers

Combine the above ingredients (except wafers) in a bowl and knead well.  Roll mixture into ½”- ¾” balls and dip into dipping chocolate.  Lay out on parchment paper to dry.

Cake Stuff Classroom Buttercream Icing

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups Alpine Soy Flex Shortening (12 ounces)

  • 2 lbs. (8 cups) pure cane powdered sugar

  • 2 tbsp. meringue powder

  • 1/8 tsp. salt

  • 2 tsp. cream bouquet

  • 2 tsp. butter vanilla emulsion (these are recommended flavors. You may use flavors you like.)

Water for desired consistency: 5 tbsp. for stiff consistency, 7 tbsp. for medium consistency, 9 tbsp. for thin consistency (Please keep in mind that many things can change this such as humidity, time of year (as in temps), and even differences in powdered sugar.)

DIRECTIONS

Cream all ingredients and beat for 5-7 minutes on low-medium speed. (speed 4 on a stand mixer)


Cream Cheese Mints

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1/4 lb. powdered or fondant sugar

  • 8 oz. block cream cheese

  • flavoring to taste

  • paste food color of your choice (optional)

Mix all ingredients to form a dough. Roll a portion of the dough into a snake and cut it into appropriate sized segments for the mold that you are using. Roll segments into granulated sugar. Gently press dough into molds. When all molds are filled, invert the mold onto parchment paper. Repeat until all dough has been made into mints.

Mints need to dry for 2 to 3 days, covered with a dry cloth only. When dry, store in an airtight container. Mints can be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.