Spider Nest Candies Recipes

PECAN-CARAMEL SPIDERS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar.
• Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute.
• Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. ) Let spiders cool 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.)
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired. Let cool until firm.

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.

EDIBLE ARACHNIDS

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Crumble cake into a large bowl to measure 7 cups., In a large bowl, beat butter, cocoa and vanilla until creamy. Beat in confectioners' sugar alternately with milk until smooth. Add cake crumbs; mix well. Shape into sixteen 1-1/2-in. balls and sixteen 3/4-in. balls., To assemble spiders, insert a wooden or metal skewer through one small cake ball and then halfway through one large cake ball; repeat with remaining balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; insert eight pretzel halves into each large ball to form legs. Freeze 2 hours or until firm., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each spider in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets., Remove skewers and attach M&M's for eyes. Refrigerate until set.

SPIDER NEST CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line muffin tins with 15 muffin cases (bake a second batch of the extra 3 if you only have one 12-hole tin). Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, flour, vanilla and milk in that order. Quickly stir in the hundreds & thousands with as little effort as you can, then divide the mixture between the cases - the more you work the batter, the more the sprinkles will bleed their colour, so it's best to do this quickly and efficiently. Bake for 20 mins until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool.
• Peel off the paper cases, and turn the cakes upside down. Cover with cling film until it's nearly party time.
• Just before the party, mix a splash of water into some sifted icing sugar, and add a good blob to the top of each cake. Tease off some candy floss and stick a little pile on each - the less you handle it, the less it will disintegrate. Add a toy spider to each, or make your own - stick 4 long liquorice lace strands to the back of giant chocolate buttons with some more runny icing, flip over and leave to set.

CHOCOLATE CHOW MEIN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips, stir until smooth. Stir in chow mein noodles and peanuts until well coated. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

CANDY SPIDERS

Steps:

• Cut a sliver off top of each gumdrop to expose sticky interior. Repeat with black licorice drops. Gently press cut side of 1 gumdrop (body) onto cut side of 1 black licorice drop (head). Repeat.
• Using a skewer, poke 2 shallow holes into each licorice-drop head for eyes, and poke 8 shallow holes (4 on each side) into each gumdrop body for legs. Gently press 1 nonpareil into each eye hole. Cut a small slit in the midpoint of each licorice lace, being careful not to cut all the way through, to create joints on legs. Insert 1 licorice leg into each hole in body.

CREEPY SPIDERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, butter and egg (dough will be stiff). Shape into 1-in. balls. , Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks., Spread a heaping teaspoonful of frosting over the bottom of half of the cookies. Place four licorice pieces on each side of cookies for spider legs; top with remaining cookies. For eyes, attach two red-hot candies with frosting to top of spider.

SPIDER NEST CANDIES

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt baking chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chow mein noodles until well coated., Divide into 15 mounds on a piece of waxed paper. Shape into nests; add a spider candy and jelly beans for eggs to each. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.