Christmas Mice Recipe Stems

CHRISTMAS MICE

Steps:

• Place chocolate pieces in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 1 minute or until chocolate is melted, stirring twice.
• Hold cherries by the stem and dip, one at a time, in melted chocolate to coat. Place coated cherries on a large baking sheet. Immediately press the flat bottom of a kiss up against the cherry (forming mouse head). Insert two almond slices between head and body to form ears. Use a toothpick dipped in remaining melted chocolate to make eyes. If you like, dot some of the melted chocolate on tip of kiss for nose. (Or, place remaining melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag; seal. Snip off a very small piece of one corner and pipe on eyes and nose). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let chill for 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. Use a small flat metal spatula or table knife to help remove mice from baking sheet.
• Store mice in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Makes about 36 mice.

CHRISTMAS EVE MICE

Steps:

• Carefully twist cookies apart; set aside the halves with cream filling. Save plain halves for another use. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place on the cream filling of cookie, with cherry stem extending beyond cookie edge. , For ears, place slivered almonds between the cherry and kiss. Refrigerate until set. With green gel, pipe holly leaves on the cream. With red gel, pipe holly berries between leaves. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

MICE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Chop the confectioners' coating into chunks, and place into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the coating in the microwave oven on High for 30 seconds; then heat again 4 or 5 more times for 10 to 15 seconds each time until the coating is warm (not hot) and melted. Stir well until the chocolate coating is smooth and free of lumps. The coating should be about 95 degrees F (35 degrees C).
• Dry the cherries well with paper towels. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip it into the chocolate coating to just reach the bottom of the stem. Carefully lay the cherry on its side, so the stem sticks out the side. This will be the tail. Before the coating sets up, stick the flat side of an unwrapped chocolate kiss opposite the tail, to make a pointy-nosed face. Pick out two nicely shaped slivers of almond, and insert them between the chocolate kiss and the dipped cherry to make little ears. Use a toothpick to make two small dots of melted coating on the face for eyes; stick two little red candies to the coating dots. Repeat with the rest of the cherries. Allow the coating to set until firm and cool, about 30 minutes.

CHRISTMAS MICE

Steps:

• Drain cherries well and count them.
• Unwrap an equal amount of chocolate kisses and carefully remove one side of the chocolate cookie from the Oreo, leaving the cream filling on the other side. (Save plain side for another use.).
• Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave and stir till smooth.
• Dip the cherries in the chocolate, shake to remove excess.
• Set the cherry on the flat side of chocolate kiss, and then position them on cream side of the Oreo with the stem hanging over the edge.
• Position 2 sliced almonds for ears.
• Use red gel for eyes.
• Keep the chocolate warm by setting it in a bowl of warm water.
• Line cookie sheet with wax paper to set the mice on as you put them together. When you get them all done, let them set for a few minutes before decorating.
• To make holly leaves - draw a "v" on each side of the red berry.
• For the leftover melted chocolate and plain half of Oreos. Dip each Oreo in chocolate and either sprinkle coconut or chopped nuts on them.
• NOTE: You could use cherries without stems and substitute chow mein noodles for the tail.

CHRISTMAS EVE MICE

Steps:

• 1. Carefully twist cookies apart; set aside the halves with cream filling. Save plain halves for another use. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place on the cream filling of cookie, with cherry stem extending beyond cookie edge. *Place off center so you have room for the holly leaves and berries. For ears, place slivered almonds between the cherry and kiss. Refrigerate until set. With green gel, pipe holly leaves on the cream. With a toothpick, drag out just a teensy bit here and there to make the pointed-edge of the leaves. With red gel, pipe holly berries between leaves and pipe green eyes on each chocolate kiss. (They look cutest if the eyes are fairly close together and not too small.) Make a dot on the nose with the red. And make a "bow" up by one ear by piping one small dot and 2 large dots on each side with red. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS MICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Carefully twist Oreo cookies apart. Set aside the ones with the cream filling on them; save plain halves for another use. (You could make crumbs for pie crust).
• In microwave, melt chocolate chip, paraffin and butter; stir until smooth.
• Holding cherry by stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss.
• Place cherry and kiss onto the cream filling of the cookie. Let stem extend over the edge.
• Make ears for your mouse by placing sliced almonds between the cherry and the kiss (before the chocolate sets).
• Place in refrigerator until chocolate sets.
• With green decorative gel, pipe holly leaves on white cream of cookie by the mouse.
• Pipe holly berries between the leaves with the red gel.
• Pipe eyes on each chocolate kiss.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature.
• TIPS:.
• I used Almond Bark instead of the chocolate chips and eliminated the need for shortening.
• Maraschino cherries need to have stems and be well-drained.
• Keep chocolate hot by putting in a bowl over a steaming pan of water.
• I used a teapot, took the lid off and placed my bowl over it after melting chocolate in microwave.
• You can use a clean eyebrow tweezer or something else to grasp the cherries by the stems to dunk in chocolate.
• Make extras because everyone at your party will want one to take home to show around and to use as a pattern to make their own!

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS MICE (OR ANYTIME MICE)

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip a cherriy into the chocolate, holding by the stem ("tail").
• Set cherry on its side on waxed paper. This is the mouse's body and tail.
• While chocolate it still gooey, "glue" on a hershey's kiss to the mouse's body, with the bottom of the kiss touching the cherry and the pointy part pointing out, the opposite direction that the tail is pointing.
• Add sliced almonds in the seam for ears.
• Decorate with icing or red hots for eyes and nose.
• Repeat with the rest of the cherries, etc.