Hot Chocolate - Yum!

Snowman soup on a stick ... Hot chocolate on a stick ... PMS treats on a stick ... whatever the name, the result is the same ... luscious chocolate goodness. If you don't eat it all first, once you've made and assembled everything, place in a mug of hot milk and stir until melted.

After looking at a lot of different recipes, here's what I used after some mixing and matching.

For the chocolate (thick, rich, fudge)

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 2 cups and then 1 cup cinnamon chips)
  
• 4 squares baking chocolate
  
• stirrers, craft sticks, or candy canes (I used cinnamon candy canes)
  

Combine the cream and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until steaming, stirring often.

Add the candy chips and squares. Remove from heat and let chocolate melt for 10 minutes. After that time, whisk thoroughly to combine.

Spread mixture into a foil lined square pan. Set at room temp for 12 hours. Cut into desired amount. Enjoy with or without marshmallows - with or without milk.

Now the marshmallows:

• 3 envelopes of Knox gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cups light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  
• Confectioners’ sugar

In a mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. In the meantime, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a rapid boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Pour the boiling syrup into gelatin mixture. With a mixer, start on low and gradually move to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 10 minutes (will be fluffy and cooled down). Add in extract and beat another minute or two.

Grease your hands and a rubber spatula with oil and transfer marshmallow to a square pan which has been lined with greased plastic wrap. Press the marshmallow into the pan evenly. Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.

Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with confectioner’s sugar. Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar. Dust the top generously with sugar as well. Cut into desired amount of squares.

While the fudge and marshallows are setting up, prepare the items you'll need for packaging:

2" squares of waxed paper

Something to wrap it all up ... zip lock treat bags, plastic wrap, or other closed container. I added a modified 'snowman soup' poem to attach to my bags.

If using candy canes as your stirrer, now is the time to unwrap them.

When fudge is ready, place squares onto pre-cut waxed paper.

Add marshmallow squares.

Add candy canes or stirrers.

Place in zip lock bags/container or plastic wrap.

Not a last minute project - you definitely need to do some planning.
Enjoy!