Its incredible

Just how much you can create in an hour and a half. Little known fact about me, until yesterday, I had really never made any of this candy business in my life. Overall, I think that I amassed a hefty amount of product because I was the only person who showed up for class last night! But it was nice, because the Cake Arts owner, Dorothy, Pam (one of the cake decorating teachers), and I just did our own thing in the kitchen for the entire time. A bit of instruction from Dorothy for me, who was just starting out...but other than that, we just had free range to do what we wanted. Everything, like most things I've done so far, was alot less complex than i thought it would be. All this is what I ended up with:

The stuff that fit in the box
What didn't fit.

So lets get into a bit of detail as to what the heck these monstrosities are. First the picture above this sentence. Its called 'breakfast cereal.' Essentially, its fruit loops (or any cereal of your choosing), m&ms, caramel bits, and mini marshmallows mixed with white chocolate. You can pretty much do this with any combination of candy...even dried fruit and nuts. Just spread it out on a parchment covered baking sheet to cool in the fridge and break it up.

These are by far, my favorite thing that I did yesterday. Deviled Eggs. A Half egg of solid white chocolate, topped with a mix of yellow chocolate and crisp rice. Sprinkle some red sugar 'paprika' on the top and just by looking at them, you can't really tell the difference between them and real thing.
White chocolate covered Marshmallows. Without the milk chocolate drizzle, they're 'Bunny Tails.' The graham crackers are dipped in Mint Chocolate. The log-esque thing in the middle of the photo is like a Clark bar...peanut butter inside, milk chocolate outside.
Self explanatory. Underneath the chocolate is caramel twisted around the pretzel.


This is more of the really fun stuff. the dark discs are Ritz crackers covered in mint chocolate. The cordial shapes are actually raspberry filled milk chocolate truffles. More 'Clark' bars and there is also one chocolate covered coconut ball to the right of the 'Clark.' The filled truffles were super easy to do...and there's a plethora of filling options like Black Walnut, Strawberry, or Cherry...they'd be the best (because of my love of it) with Dark Chocolate. They are time consuming though because you use a specific mold. You have to paint the bottom of the mold, let it set for a few minutes in the fridge, then re-paint and re-set until you hold the mold up to light and can't see anything through it. Then press a ball of the filling into the cavity and fill the rest level with the chocolate. Totally worth the extra wait time...or at least I assume so...I haven't actually tried anything besides the 'Breakfast Cereal' yet. Just to pretty to eat AND I'm going to try to make what I'm saving for myself last as long as it can. The sugar buzz I'd probably get would be insane if I went to try everything in one sitting.
More of the grahams, coconut balls, Thin Ritzs, 'Clarks,' some mini chocolate covered pretzels, and white chocolate ducks!

A better view of the ducks. Painting the molds before filling them is yet another task that takes true precision and the right sized paint brush. Patience while the colors set up doesn't hurt either.
I like to call these 'Baby Hueys' Kind of creepy with no black in the pupils. Normally, the beak on these would be orange, but we didn't make any orange...so yellow for everyone!
Birds Nests. Chocolate covered chow mein noodles and jelly beans. Easy peazy lemon squeezy.

This is all living in my fridge at home at the moment. The only thing I'm not giving any away of is the 'breakfast cereal.' I think I'm storing away two of each thing for my personal candy stash...the rest of boxed up and ready to be given away. It was really nice to be the only one there yesterday...a rarity at that place, but I'll take what one on one lessons I can get. I might try my hand at more of this on my own, I just have to get the means to create! Its not that expensive or difficult. It will be especially easy since I've doubled my refrigerator capacity and work space. The wheels for an all chocolate 'vegetable tray' are turning AND I have some great ideas for the Rib Off cake in the summertime. Anyone want to donate to the 'Ms Jones Airbrush' kit fund? They can do lay-a-way at Cake Arts. I accept checks too.

AND if you see something you like on here, let me know if I can ever make it for you. Heaven knows I'd be more than happy to.