Celebrate eight nights of light for Hanukkah with these Menorah Cupcakes, made with vanilla cupcakes, chewy candies and blue sugar.
Directions
- Cut the pirouette cookies into 3" lengths using a serrated knife. Tint ¾ cup of the vanilla frosting a pale blue with the food colouring. Spoon frosting into a 1 cup glass measuring cup. Line a cutting board with wax paper. Microwave the blue frosting for 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring frequently, until frosting is the consistency of slightly whipped cream.
- Insert a toothpick or skewer into one end of pirouette cookie and dip, one at a time, into frosting to cover completely. Allow excess frosting to drip off. Carefully transfer the coated cookie to the wax paper. Repeat with the remaining cookies and frosting. Reheat frosting when consistency becomes too thick. Let cookies dry until set, about 30 minutes.
- Working with several fruit chews at a time, unwrap candies and microwave for several seconds to soften slightly. Knead the 2 colors together and roll out on a sheet of wax paper. Cut out 9 flame shapes with clean scissors, rerolling candies if necessary.
- Place the blue sugar into a medium bowl. Spread the tops of the standard cupcakes with some of the frosting, mounding the top. Roll the tops of the cupcakes in the blue sugar to cover completely.
- Place the coarse white sugar crystals in a small bowl. Spread the remaining vanilla frosting on top of the mini cupcakes and smooth top. Roll the edges of nine mini cupcakes in the white sugar.
- Cut the white chocolate peanut butter cups in half crosswise. Cut the black licorice into 9 1½" pieces.
- Arrange the cupcakes as shown in photo on a large serving platter or cutting board. The top mini cupcakes should have the sugar around the edges. Place the peanut butter cups on the top edge of the blue cupcake, cut side down. Place the dipped pirouette cookie on top of the next 2 mini cupcakes. Insert the piece of licorice into the top of the pirouette cookie as the wick. (It will overhang onto the top mini cupcake.) Sprinkle the top mini cupcake with the yellow sugar and place candy flame on top.