Birdsnests Recipes

BIRD NESTS

Steps:

• In a large metal bowl over simmering water, melt baking chips; stir until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup melted chips for decorations; keep warm., Add pretzel sticks to remaining chips; stir to coat evenly. Drop mixture into 24 mounds on waxed paper; shape into bird nests using 2 forks., Dip bottoms of Peeps in reserved chips; place in nests. Attach eggs with remaining chips. Let stand until set.

BIRDS' NESTS IV

Steps:

• Separate the eggs. Chop the nuts fine.
• Cream together 1 cup softened butter and sugar. Add the yolks, and beat well. Add the flour, and mix well.
• Make small balls out of dough. Roll balls in egg white, and then in the nuts. Place balls on greased cookie sheets, and press center of cookie with thumb. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes. Press center of cookie again, bake until lightly browned 4 to 6 minutes. Cool cookies on racks.
• To make frosting, begin by blending the water, shortening, vanilla, and 1/4 cup softened butter or margarine together thoroughly. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, and mix until smooth and creamy. More water may be needed to make desired consistency.

BIRD'S NESTS III

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease with spray-on cooking oil.
• Pour noodles into a large bowl. Melt the butter and marshmallows over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour marshmallow mixture over noodles, stirring until well coated.
• Rub some butter on hands and form noodle mixture into six round balls. Place balls on prepared cookie sheet. With the back of a teaspoon, press the center of each ball to make a hollow indentation.
• Let nests set until they are firm. Fill each with small jelly beans. (Other small candies of your choice may be substituted, such as M & M's, small gumdrops, chocolate covered raisins, chocolate covered peanuts, etc.)

BUTTERSCOTCH BIRD NESTS

Steps:

• Heat a large, dry saute pan over medium heat. Add the almond slivers and toast, shaking the pan every minute, until they are fragrant and begin to darken in areas, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt the almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl according to package instructions. Stir in the butterscotch chips. Microwave another 30 seconds, and then stir until smooth.
• Stir in the almonds, pretzels and coconut, coating evenly. Drop the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, onto the prepared baking sheets. Nestle in 1 or 2 of the mini eggs. If the mixture starts to cool and become too firm to work with, microwave for 30 seconds and stir gently. Let the nests cool at room temperature until solid.

CHOCOLATE BIRDS' NESTS

Steps:

• Melt 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in 2 cups canned potato sticks. Coat a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray and scoop some of the chocolate mixture into the cups; make an indentation in each to form nests. Chill until set, at least 3 hours. Fill with marcona almonds.

BIRDS' NESTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 F. Trace 6 circles, each 2 ½-inches across and with at least 2 inches between them using marker on parchment paper, then flip the paper over onto a baking tray.
• Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar first on low speed, then once the whites are foamy increase the speed and slowly pour in the sugar while whipping. Continue to whip until the whites on high speed until they hold a stiff peak when beaters are lifted.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the meringue and pipe circles within the lines drawn on the parchment, completely filling the circles. Pipe a ring or meringue on top of the outside edge, creating the "nest" effect, spiraling up to about 2-inches above the base.
• Place the meringues into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 275 F. Bake the meringues for 45 to 65 minutes (this timing will be impacted by the outdoor temperature and humidity, making the meringues take longer if it is humid or warm out). If you find that the meringues are starting to brown, crack open the oven door and continue to bake. Cool the meringues completely to room temperature on the baking tray, then gently lift to store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• For assembly, whip the cream to soft peaks and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Place a birds' nest onto each plate, dollop the cream into the centre of the nest and top with berries. Serve immediately.
• The meringues can be baked up to a day in advance, but they should be assembled immediately before serving.

BIRD'S NEST TREATS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and marshmallows until smooth, stirring occasionally. Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips; heat and stir for 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in chow mein noodles until well coated. , Divide into 12 mounds on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Using fingers, shape each into a nest; press an indentation in the center of nest. Fill each nest with three or four jelly beans or candy eggs. Cool.

BIRDS NEST COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and brown sugar.
• Add egg yolks and vanilla.
• Sift flour and salt and stir until combined.
• Roll teaspoonful of dough into balls.
• Dip in slightly beaten egg white and roll in finely chopped nuts or flaked coconut.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet and press thumb into center of each. You can also you the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Bakeat 350 deg. F. for 5 minutes, Indent again. Bake 8-10 minutes more.
• Cool then fill with candied cherries or assorted jams or jellies.

BIRD NESTS

Steps:

• Use a 6 or 12 cup muffin tin depending on desired size of nests. We made only 6 nest with this recipe so we could overlap the top and give an "edge" for our bird to sit on.
• Heat butter and marshmallows over medium heat.
• Stir till melted.
• Add noodles and stir till completely coated.
• Spray muffin tin then hands with cooking spray.
• Place mixture into muffin cups and shape with hands to form "nests".
• Refrigerate.
• Approximately 30 minutes later, gently remove nests from muffin tin and perch a Peep on the side. (It helps if the nest is still a bit sticky, this will "glue" the peep on.).
• Place nests on a tray and put back in the fridge till completely set.
• Fill with candy eggs.