Tricks with Treats: How to Decorate Pumpkins with Candy

Make this year's jack-o'-lanterns with the ultimate decorating kit: a bagful of candy.
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From: Food Network Magazine
Related To:
Halloween Holiday

Sweet Teeth

For the mouth: Carve a crescent shape out of the pumpkin with a serrated knife. Insert a toothpick into a piece of candy (we used gum, candy corn and gumdrops) and push the other end into the pumpkin's mouth. For the eyes: Cut a gumdrop or marshmallow in half and press the sticky side onto the pumpkin. To add pupils, poke a hole in each eye with a toothpick and fill the opening with a piece of licorice string or Nibs.

Mad Scientist

Make edible glue: Sift 2 tablespoons meringue powder and 1 pound powdered sugar into a bowl. Beat in 6 tablespoons water until glossy. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; snip the tip of one corner to pipe. For the hair: Attach cotton candy to the pumpkin with icing. For the eyes: Separate 2 sandwich cookies and, using icing, attach the 2 pieces that have filling to the pumpkin, filling-side out. Stick 1 M&M into each cookie. For the ears, nose and mouth: Attach Circus Peanuts with icing for the ears and nose, then draw a mouth and eyeglasses with the icing; cover the lines with licorice.

Aliens

For the eyes: Use a spoon to carve out small holes, then push in gumballs so they fit snugly. Draw pupils with an edible marker. For the eyelids, attach pieces of sour belt candy with royal icing. For the ears and mouth: Attach 2 sour watermelons with royal icing for the ears, then add a sour apple ring or a peach ring (either whole or cut in half) for the mouth. For the antennae: Push 2 lollipops into the top.

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