Candy Cane Truffle Lollipops Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 3 lollipop sticks on one of the baking sheets. Lay 2 candy canes in a heart shape around each stick, making sure the stick touches the inside of both candy canes at the top and bottom of the heart. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until the candy canes are slightly soft and malleable and very warm, but not hot to the touch.
• With your fingers, press the candy canes together, adhering them to the stick at the top and bottom. Gently bend the outer edges of the candy canes outwards to widen the heart shape. (If the candy canes harden too quickly, you may return to the oven for 30 seconds and try again.) Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining candy canes and sticks, using the other baking sheet and rotating the use of the sheets while the others cool.
• Once all of the hearts are formed and cooled, line them up on a piece of parchment placed on a work surface. Melt the white chocolate or candy melts in a bowl in the microwave on 50 percent power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, 1 to 2 minutes total.
• Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off and pipe it into the center of the hearts, spreading it to the edges with a small spoon or spatula. Sprinkle with the decorations of your choice. Let the pops harden completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Ornament Variation: Make the candy cane hearts without the lollipop sticks and let cool. Tie a decorative ribbon around the top of the heart, then fill with white chocolate and decorate.

Steps:

• Working in two batches, place candycanes or peppermintcandy in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and pulse several times until finely chopped. (Alternatively, place on a large cuttingboard, cover with plastic wrap, and crushwith a kitchen mallet.) Using a sieve, siftout and discard powdery residue. Measure1 cup chopped candy; reserve therest for rolling.
• In a small saucepan, bring cream, butter, and corn syrup to a full boil overmedium heat. Turn off heat. Add 1 poundchocolate; gently swirl pan to coverchocolate with cream, but do not stir. Let stand, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Stirin peppermint extract.
• Slowly whisk until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; refrigerate,stirring every 15 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, mixture will thickenquickly, so stir every 3 to 5 minutes untilthick enough to scoop, 10 to 20 minutesmore. Stir in chopped candy. Using two spoons or a small ice-cream scoop, form into 1-inch balls; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Return to refrigeratorfor 10 to 20 minutes, stirring every 3 to5 minutes.
• Remove from refrigerator; rollin palms to form a ball, and press gentlywith fingers to create irregular shapes.Chill until ready to dip, up to 1 week.Place remaining 12 ounces chocolate ina heatproof bowl over a pan of simmeringwater; stir occasionally until chocolatemelts. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• Place reserved chopped candy in a small bowl. Removecenters from refrigerator. Using onehand, dip one center into melted chocolate, then roll around in your hand tocoat evenly, letting excess drip back intopan. Place truffle in chopped candy. With yourclean hand, cover truffle with the candy. Letsit in bowl 20 seconds.
• Lift out, and set on a parchment-linedbaking sheet. Repeat with remainingtruffles. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate 5 minutes to set. You can storetruffles in airtight containers up to 1week at a cool room temperature.

Steps:

• Combine extract and cream in a microwave-safe cup and microwave for 1 minute.
• Add the chips to the hot mixture. Whisk until smooth and well-blended. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Using a teaspoon, drop small, rounded spoonfuls of the mixture onto the sheet.
• Place the baking sheet in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes, or until the rounds are firm. Remove and quickly roll each spoonful into a ball.
• Place the cocoa powder into a small dish. Gently roll each ball into the powder until coated.
• Chill in the freezer until firm.
• Repeat the coating process with crushed candy canes.
• Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving. Place the truffles on printed doilies or in small paper cups and serve.

Steps:

• Pour both types of cream, sugar and extract into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil on low heat.
• Chop up the bittersweet chocolate and put into a bowl.
• Pour boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Place bowl in the fridge for 2 3/4 - 3 hours to firm up.
• Using a teaspoon, scoop out firm chocolate and roll into walnut size truffle. (it gets a little messy, but completely worth it!)
• Drop truffle into a bowl or container of crushed candy canes and completely cover. I usually shake the container to completely cover instead of rolling it with my fingers to avoid getting candy cane all over your fingers.
• Put completed truffles into an airtight container and place in the fridge or freezer to firm up.