5 Ways To Use Up Those Leftover Candy Canes Lying Around
Given how delectable holiday desserts are, you probably don't have any cake, pie, or cookies left over from the most recent holiday season. But one holiday item you probably still have lying around the house? Candy canes.
It's easy to buy candy canes in bulk at the start of the season — after all, they're one of the quintessential holiday treats available. However, we can only eat so many candy canes in the span of a couple of months. So, you may be wondering one very important question: What do you do with all of the leftover candy canes? Well, as long as you like the flavor of peppermint, then there's no need to fret — there are so many different ways to use up those extra hook-shaped peppermint candies.
Candy canes — especially once you've crushed them up into small pieces — are quite easy to incorporate into a number of different desserts without much effort. In other words, leftover candy canes are an easy way to make a familiar dessert more interesting and unique. And just in case you need some guidance before diving into the ideas ahead, there are a few ways to crush up candy canes efficiently. For one, you can use a rolling pin — and if you first place the candy canes in a zip-top bag, you'll avoid extra mess. You can also use a food processor for an even simpler process if you have one.
Give your brownies a peppermint infusion
One of the best parts about homemade brownies — besides how utterly delicious they are — is how versatile they can be. You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate (or a mix) to match your tastes, and there are plenty of fun add-ins, like nuts or chocolate chips, to take the batch to the next level. So, to make the brownies a bit more unique, you can use crushed canes as your add-in instead of the typical go-to options.
Make your brownie batter as usual, then stir in crushed candy canes before popping the batch in the oven. Once the brownies are out of the oven, you can add more crushed candy canes to the top for extra decoration and another kick of peppermint flavor. Or, if you're worried that the peppermint flavor might overwhelm the brownies, you can always choose only to mix them into the batter or sprinkle it on top rather than doing both.
Use candy canes to decorate a homemade cake
If you're baking a cake and want to make it stand out, candy canes may just be the decoration you need. Using candy canes to decorate a cake will also give the cake a bit of a peppermint flavor infusion without overpowering the prominent flavor of the cake (since you won't be integrating the candy canes into the batter). This will work with a number of different cakes, including the two favorites: chocolate and classic vanilla cake. You can even use candy canes to decorate a red velvet cake to take the red theme further.
As for decorating the cake with candy canes, there are a few options (Candyland-themed dessert, anyone?). The most straightforward option is to sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top after you've frosted the cake. Or, you can use full candy canes by laying them out flat on top or sticking them into the cake upright so that they poke upward. Get creative with the decorating process and figure out what's best for your specific cake. Add candy canes and peppermints for an alternating pattern, or create hearts out of flatly laid candy canes. One other option is to mix the crushed canes directly into the frosting. This is an easy way to make the peppermint flavor more prominent without overdoing it.
Add crushed canes to a dessert cocktail
Sometimes, instead of a classic dessert, you want something boozier, which is where dessert cocktails come in. And dessert cocktails are another perfect vessel for using up leftover candy canes. Two classic drinks you can turn into dessert cocktails are the old fashioned and the espresso martini, both by adding some type of chocolate (either a syrup or a liqueur). As we know, chocolate and peppermint go hand in hand, so these dessert cocktails are the perfect drinks for a candy cane infusion. The best way to integrate the peppermint candy is to add crushed candy canes to the rim of the cocktail glass. Just use water to wet the rim, flip the glass over, and dip it into a pile of crushed candy canes. Not only will it make the glass look even more aesthetically pleasing, it will add a hint of peppermint flavor to each sip.
Another dessert cocktail that would be perfect for this idea is the Pink Squirrel, which consists of just three ingredients: heavy cream, white crème de cacao, and crème de noyaux. It's rich and decadent with flavor notes of almond and chocolate. But it's the drink's pink hue that makes it stand out — and makes it a great companion to the crushed candy cane rim idea. With the pink of the cocktail and the red from the candy canes, this may be worth saving until Valentine's Day.
Flavor your homemade fudge with candy canes
Fudge, in its simplest form, is a super tasty treat — but sometimes we want to add some extra ingredients to make it a bit more interesting. Crushed candy canes make for a delicious fudge add-in — and will satisfy the sweet tooth of anyone who loves a mint and chocolate combination.
To keep things as easy as possible — and use just a few ingredients — you can add the crushed candy canes to two-ingredient rich chocolate fudge. Or, you can add the crushed candy canes to a more intricate recipe, such as a vanilla honey fudge or the tasty chocolate chip cookie dough fudge. Either way, add the crushed candy canes to the mixture after the heating process (whether in the microwave or on the stovetop, depending on the recipe) and before you let the fudge set in the fridge. Or, just like with the brownies, you can instead sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the top.
Integrate candy canes into hot cocoa
It doesn't have to be the holiday season to enjoy a nice, steaming mug of hot chocolate. This means that you can take the opportunity to make a post-holiday hot cocoa, complete with some leftover candy canes.
Integrating candy canes into your hot cocoa can be as simple as using it to stir the drink — it's practical for anyone who likes to mix the whipped cream into the drink rather than letting it sit on top while giving the drink a cute and aesthetically pleasing look.
Another option is to add crushed candy canes to the top of the drink, either on top of a dollop of whipped cream or directly on the hot chocolate itself. You can use the extra candy canes as the starting point for building a fun hot cocoa bar to warm up your next wintertime party.