DOTS CANDIES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Bring the butter, molasses, sugar and the dried and powdered spices into a boil in a kettle. 2. Keep boiling the mix on a low heat for a few minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly but not too long. If it keeps boiling too long then the result may be a dough that's difficult to handle with pieces of hard candy. 3. Cool the mixture down in a cold water bath (for example). Remember to mix it from the edges to the center so the temperature goes down evenly. 4. When the mix is still warm but slightly cooled down (around 60-70°C), add the egg and mix well.
• 1. Mix the flour and baking soda together. 2. Gradually add the flour mix into the caramel, knead them in if necessary. 3. Once the dough has cooled to a room temperature then put it into the fridge and let it settle there overnight. The dough will get a somewhat waxy texture. It can also be frozen.
• Baking the dough: 1. Heat the oven to 200°C. 2. Dust a work surface with some flour, especially the center. 3. Use a rolling pin to make a thin sheet our of the dough and use either cookie cutters or self made patterns to cut shapes out of it. 4. The dough "breathes" in the oven. The cookies first rise and then resettle as flat which will only take a few minutes. They have browned slightly once they're done. If you're making a gingerbread house for instance and want some round walls then press the still hot walls against a bottle and allow them to cool down on it.
• Decoration: Decorate the cookies as desired once they have cooled down, using royal icing, sprinkles, candies etc. However, notice that the cookies absorb the moisture easily so give them time to dry. If you pipe dots of the royal icing on the roof eaves of a gingerbread house and then quickly pull it off, you'll easily create "icicles".

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. On ungreased cookie sheet, place dough rounds 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make hats, remove creme from sandwich cookies, and attach miniature peanut butter cup to one half of sandwich cookie, using small amount of vanilla frosting. Continue for remaining hats.
• Cut marshmallows in half, and place one half on top of each cookie, cut side down. In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining frosting uncovered on Medium (50%) 20 to 40 seconds, stirring halfway through, until slightly warm. Spoon frosting on top of marshmallow and cookie to look like melting snow; attach hat to top of each cookie. Attach miniature chocolate chips and orange gumdrop candy for eyes and nose. Allow to set 20 minutes.
• Use black cookie icing to pipe arms on each snowman cookie. Wrap one piece of licorice around neck for scarf. Allow to set completely before serving, about 30 minutes.