Candy Cane Valentine's Suckers

Valentine's Day is just one week away!

I have always loved Valentine's Day. When I was little my mom and dad would wake us up with a special valentine or the valentine would be placed on our plates before breakfast. Then when I went to Jr. High and High School a rose would always be sent to me by a secret admirer. I didn't figure it out, that it was my dad, until I was in High School. :] So I've tried to make it fun for my kids too. So starting today we are making all of our yummy treats! I've made these suckers for a few years now. I can't remember where I got the idea from. They are so easy, cute, and always impress people who haven't seen them before. So I hope you did what I told you to do, and bought extra candy canes when they went on clearance after Christmas. :]

Pre heat your oven to 225*F.

First, you start off by unwrapping your candy canes. I always use the organic ones I told you about here. Then you decide what size you want them. In this picture you can see that I have four different sizes. The one on the far left is full size, meaning I didn't break off any of the candy cane. The other 3 I broke off part of the bottom of the candy cane.

Then you place them on a cookie sheet as shown here, with sucker sticks at the bottom.

Put them in the oven for six minutes, you'll need more time if they are not organic.

When they come out the candy canes will be just soft enough for you to pinch the two sides together. Both at the top and over the stick, as shown here. If they are not quite soft enough put them back in the oven for another minute. You do NOT want to over bake them!!

If you do slightly over bake them the candy cane will start to melt out to the side. You can take a tooth pick and along the edge push the melted part back.

When you are finished pinching them together place on wax paper and push slightly down so that they lay flat on your counter. You have to do this before they cool, or they will break. You'll notice in this picture that two of the Suckers have their sticks up in the center of the heart.

That is so you can fill the heart with white chocolate, then top with organic sprinkles (I'll show you what kind I use this Friday). I got that idea from the February Family Fun magazine this year. If you are not going to fill them, leave the sucker sticks just at the bottom of the heart.

When they are dry this is what they look like. So cute, so easy, and I was surprised at how delicious the white chocolate was with the peppermint. Oh so good!!

This is my favorite size of this suckers. I think they are cute this size. I broke off about an inch of the bottom to get it this small.

Last year, this is what my son gave to his teacher in school for Valentine's day. The mug I got from the dollar store. Then I put Styrofoam in the mug. Then stuck suckers in. The recipe for the other heart shaped aguave suckers is found here. After that put some confetti to cover the Styrofoam. When your all finished, wrap the whole thing with cellophane and tie with a bow. So fun, creative, unique, delicious, and the teacher loved it of course! Have fun making your Candy Cane Valentine's Suckers!

Candy Cane Valentine's Suckers

Ingredients

12 organic candy canes

1 package white chocolate

12 sucker sticks

sprinkles (Gluten free)

Directions

Preheat oven to 225*F. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray. Unwrap candy canes and place together forming a heart shape on prepared cookie sheet. Break off bottom of candy canes to desired heart shape. Place one sucker stick between two candy canes at the bottom of the heart shape (remember, if filling with chocolate place sucker stick slightly up into the middel of the heart shape). Put cookie sheet in oven for six minutes. Remove from oven and pinch together the two candy canes both at the top where the heart meets, and also the bottom where the stick is. Make sure to really cover the sucker sticks with the melted candy canes. Transfer to wax paper and push down slightly on candy canes to make sure they are flat to the counter top and let cool. Melt chocolate in glass bowl in microwave according to package directions. Fill center of heart shaped suckers with chocolate. Add sprinkles. Let cool and completely dry, then enjoy!