I was one of the lucky
Club Candiquik members to receive a
Candiquik sample kit in the mail with enough candy to create each of the 3 recipes to assist in my decision to choose a winner in the
CANDIQUIK "Make Our Ad" Recipe Contest!
First, I wanted to share with you how easy
Candiquik candy melts up. I always melt any brand of melting candy in my Wilton Chocolate Pro, absolutely love it! However, for these recipes (since they each called for an entire package), I decided to follow directions on the Candiquik packaging and melt the candy in the microwaveable tray. Let me tell you, it's so easy! This candy melts up smooth and easy in the tray in the microwave and there is NO CLEAN UP! Just throw the tray away when you are done! So, I thought that was pretty cool!
Please Note: There have been updates to this post since originally posted on 6/5/2011. I have since then added all of the contestants recipes including a recipe correction that was noticed after the recipes were sent out.
The desserts below are listed are in no particular order.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
*WINNER*
Creator Comments: This is one of my all time favorite recipes! I have adapted it over the years and made it my own. It is easy, quick, no bake, and almost everyone has these 5 ingredients already in their pantry! You can even be trendy and make them into a "Pop" by putting them on a lollipop stick! I love making these in the fall because of their colors and homey feel! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
INGREDIENTS:
2-1/4 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 cup Margarine
7 cups Powder Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 package Chocolate CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Roll the mixture into tablespoon size balls and set onto wax paper. There should be about 40 balls. Melt the CANDIQUIK®. Dip each ball and set back onto wax paper to dry. Decorate as desired. Recipe is easily halved.
My experience making this recipe:
These are the naked Peanut Butter Bites! I know...I didn't get them perfectly rounded! I actually had a hard time getting these to maintain a round shape, especially upon dipping. The margarine to peanut butter ratio was 1 cup margarine to 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter. I will leave it at that.
(Note: There was a typo in the recipe that I was following...so my experiences will differ from actual "Chocolate Peanut Butter Bite" recipe.)
The hardest part was trying to get them out of the chocolate. I found in the end rolling them from spoon to spoon worked best. I still had a hard time getting each ball to maintain there shape.
As soon as I placed them on wax paper, my little elf placed a peanut half on while the chocolate was still wet.
The recipe concluded with "decorate as desired."
With that noted, we drizzled a little peanut butter on top to help along the peanut butter flavor!
This recipe was made with "Extra Crunchy" Peanut Butter.
These were definately the hardest of the 3 recipes to make once I got beyond mixing the center filling. I had hoped to be able to get the bites into that perfect round shape.
I am definately going to play around with this recipe some in the future!
*** 6/6/2011- I was just contacted by Jen from Jen's Speciality Cupcakes and informed that there was a typo in her recipe that was posted on the Candiquik Webpage for the recipe contest...it should have been 2-1/4 cups of Crunchy Peanut Butter...NOT 1/4 cup. Miss Candiquik worked quick and has already fixed that typo on the website. I hope this doesn't effect Jen's chances in the contest. And here I thought it was me that just had a problem making a round ball! I will remake these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites in the future to the proper directions...so look for them on my blog again someday! Not sure when yet, I have made so many sweets over the past weekend, I need to de-sweet a few days! ***
Mini Apple Pies with Edible Pie "Plate"
*Runner Up*
INGREDIENTS:
1 package Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating
1 can of Apple Pie Filling
Crushed Sugar Cookies or Graham Crackers
Decorations for Top (optional)
Mini Cupcake Liners (not pretty ones as they will be discarded)
DIRECTIONS:
After melting CANDIQUIK®, take about a teaspoon full and pour into mini cupcake liner. With the back of a small spoon, push melted CANDIQUIK® up the sides of the cupcake liner as far as it will go. Let dry. Then spoon crumbled cookies or graham crackers on the bottom. Gently spoon about a teaspoon or so of pie filling onto of the cookies. Then spoon more CANDIQUIK® over the top of the apple/cookie combo. Let dry. When dry, you can decorate with candy writers (apple as shown in picture) or edible markers (as shown in picture with "stripes"). When completely dry, gently rip off cupcake liner.Enjoy!
My experience making this recipe:
Making these went really quick. The first step was to paint the inside of a mini cupcake liner with the Candiquik Vanilla Candy, let dry. Then cover the bottom with graham cracker or cookie crumbs, followed by apple pie filling...or any filling you wish as the author of this recipe stated on the
Candiquik Facebook page.
The top of the pie is covered with more of the melted candy.
This is the finished Mini Apple Pie before decorating.
The original pies were decorating with edible candy writers and pens. She decorated some with an apple and some with a lattice pattern.
I just used what I already had on hand...Royal Icing, with a little green flower sprinkle.
This is a picture of the inside...the picture doesn't do it justice!
I could really see myself using this recipe with cut up fresh berries from my garden.
These could really fill these with anything, it's a pretty neat idea!
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Creator Comments: These are delicious for any event and any time of year. My guests always love them and are impressed, if only they knew how easy they are! Fun, easy, delicious, and I used the CANDIQUIK® no-bake cheesecake recipe to fill them with!
INGREDIENTS:
1 package Chocolate CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating
1 package Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating
24 strawberries
2 packages cream cheese - room temperature
1 box Jell-O® cheesecake flavored pudding
1 container Cool Whip® - thawed
DIRECTIONS:
Using a knife, cut out the center of each strawberry, as deep as you can without going out the bottom. Melt Chocolate CANDIQUIK®. Dip each strawberry in CANDIQUIK®. Set on wax paper. Melt Vanilla CANDIQUIK®. In a medium bowl, mix the room temperature cream cheese, pudding mix, and Vanilla CANDIQUIK®. Slowly mix in the cool whip. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into a piping bag (or a plastic sandwich bag - cut one corner off) and pipe the cheesecake into each strawberry! Yum!
My experience making this recipe:
These were very easy and quick to make!
I started with fresh strawberries, all different sizes and shapes!
Cutting the centers out just took a few minutes.
I dipped the strawberries in the chocolate and let that set up a few minutes.
I piped in the cheesecake filling with the Wilton 1M tip.
To finish, I drizzled the Vanilla flavored candy over the chocolate!
The flavors complimented each other very well!
Now, I have until June 11th to submit my vote!
I am still sampling and trying to decide which of these is my personal favorite! I can't wait to see who the winner is!
Each contestant has put a lot of time and effort into there recipe and each recipe brings something different to the table. They should all be applauded just for making it to the top 3!
Congratulations to all 3 of you!
(If any of the contestants happen to be reading my blog and would like me to include your picture of your creation in this post...please contact me via Mrs. Fox's Sweets Facebook Page, I would love to do so!)
I also want to thank my teenage daughter for her helping me on each of these recipes! I couldn't have done them so quick without her! She is amazing in the kitchen! I encourage each and everyone of my readers to get your kids in the kitchen with you, no matter what age! Not only are you teaching your children life skills, but it is wonderful together time!
*UPDATE 6/16/2011*
Jennifer's "Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites" was the winner in the 2011 Candiquik Recipe Contest!
CONGRATULATIONS! JENNIFER!
Debbie's "Mini Apple Pie's with Edible Pie Plate" was runner-up!
CONGRATULATIONS DEBBIE!
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL 3 OF YOU!
