So Much Candy, So Little Time

Hi guys.  Are you still up to your eyeballs in Halloween candy?  We are.  My kids are pretty much only excited about it for the first day or so.  They really haven’t asked for any today.  I don’t think Paisley even asked for any yesterday.  They forget pretty fast.  So today I picked through their baskets and took what I wanted.  I also took out the majority of the chocolate.  I will freeze some of it and take it out the next time I want to make cookies.  I will crush the candy bars and use that instead of chocolate chips.  The part that I don’t freeze, I will use today in two different recipes that I will show you.  I don’t expect you to make these recipes today.  I think that you should freeze all of your chocolate, and bust it out the next time you need a quick and easy dessert.

My first recipe is “candy bar pies”.  It really isn’t much of a recipe since it is so easy.  But I will call it that anyway;)

I used refrigerated pie crusts, assorted candy bars, mini marshmallows and oil to cook the pies in.  Yep, I fry my pies.  I realize not everyone is down with the deep fryer so I will also show you a baked version.

The first step is to crush, or chop, your candy bars.

Like so.

Then, on a floured board, I unrolled my pie crust.  My pie crust had been sitting on the counter for about 30 minutes to make sure it was at room temperature.

I used a biscuit cutter (round cookie cutter) to punch out circles.  You can trace around a small bowl if you aren’t a weird cookie cutter collector like me.

I place a few chunks of the candy bars on the dough circle.  I have a mix of lots of different candy bars, but I think that is what makes these good!  I also plop a couple of mini marshmallows on top.  Be careful not to overfill.  You don’t want your pies to bust open in the fryer!

I used water to “seal” the edges of the pies.  I also crimped the edges with a fork….all to ensure that the pies don’t pop open.

You should get about 7 or 8 circles per big circle of pie dough.

I fried my pies in oil that had been heated to about 350 degrees.  You can do this without a candy thermometer.  When the oil looks like it is about to boil, stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil.  If bubbles immediately form all around it….the oil is ready.  If your oil isn’t hot enough….the pies will absorb all of the oil and get soggy.  Gross.

I fry these for about 2 or 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown on both sides.  Once they are cooked, place them on paper towels to drain.

Yum! 

The chocolate gets all gooey and melty.  The crust puffs up so there will be “open space” in the pies, but that’s ok.  The yummy, warm marshmallows and candy will make you forget.

If you choose to bake your pies, make sure you cut a small slit in the tops of the pies so that steam can escape.  Bake the pies at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

This is the baked version….good, but not fried good;)

I also made some delicious ice cream with some of my kid’s Halloween candy.  In October, Baskin Robbins had a flavor called “Trick or Treat”.  It was cookies and cream ice cream with candy bars mixed in.  I think it also had an orange swirl or something like that to, but that is beside the point.  I made something equally good at home.

Now I have an ice cream maker which, of course, makes making ice cream 100 times easier.  If you don’t have an ice cream maker, skip to the end of this….I will tell you how to do this without a maker.

This ice cream is super easy because it is so few ingredients.  I don’t use eggs, and I don’t have to temper anything.  I used half and half, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, candy and peanut butter Oreos.

I chopped the candy and smashed the Oreos with a rolling pin.  I really beat the hell out of the cookies.  I have had a bad day.

In a large bowl, I stirred together the half and half, condensed milk and extract.

I poured the milk mixture into my ice cream maker and let ‘er rip.  I let it go for about 20 minutes before I added in the candy and cookies.

When the ice cream seems done, or as done as it is going to get in the ice cream maker, I poured it into a container and froze it for an additional hour or so.  I don’t like it too soft.

So, so good!  Homemade ice cream rocks.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker……just buy a cheap container of vanilla ice cream.  Whatever is on sale.  You should be able to find a store brand for a couple of bucks.  Let it get soft, and then mix in your candy and cookies.  I realize you can buy pre-made ice cream that already has candy in it…..the point here is to use up your Halloween candy.  And when you make it yourself….you can combine the flavors you want.  For instance….I love Butterfingers, Twix, and Kit-Kats, but I do not like Almond Joys, Baby Ruth’s or York Peppermint Patties.  I was able to put it what I wanted.  What will you put in yours?

See you next week for more Thanksgiving recipes!!