Nov. 25--A few Thanksgivings ago, as I was carrying a cake fashioned to look like a turkey out of my apartment building, a little boy stopped me to brag: "Our turkey is bigger than yours." "Oh yeah?" I replied. "Well, my turkey is made out of cake." Guess which bird he liked better then?
Whether 5 years old or 50, people generally like dessert more than turkey. Even better if the dessert is a little whimsical, like a turkey-shaped cake or cookies that look like Plymouth Rock. For a themed Thanksgiving dessert this year, I came up with a simple chocolate bark studded with candy turkeys. My inspiration: a dessert I saw on Halloween dotted with dozens of gummy eyeballs. With some candy corn arranged to look like feathers and red candy for the snood (the red part hanging from a turkey's neck, often incorrectly called a wattle), it was simple to turn the idea toward Thanksgiving.
Win some oohs and ahs from the in-laws (or at least from any kids at the table) with the recipe below.
Some possible substitutions: While I used Hot Tamales for the snood, if you're averse to a fiery kick, cherry Mike Ike candies will have the same effect (you just have to be OK with having a lot of leftovers in other flavors). Another idea: strips of red fruit leather cut into the right shape. For the eyes, I used white M (I happen to work above a candy store that sells M in individual colors, which is a blessing when it comes to making themed desserts), but white chocolate chips are a fine replacement.
Gobble gobble!
Chocolate turkey bark
Prep: 15 minutes
Makes: 10-12 servings
1 bag (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Candy corn (about 80 pieces)
Red candy, such as Hot Tamales (about 10 pieces)
White candy discs, such as M (about 20 pieces)
Black cake-decorating gel
1. Line a 13-by-9-inch cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place chocolate chips in a double boiler over low heat and let melt, stirring occasionally. Pour melted chocolate evenly onto lined cookie sheet, spreading with spatula to smooth and even it out.
3. Arrange 8 pieces of candy corn in an arc to look like the feathers of the turkey. Place 2 white candy discs to look like eyes, and the red candy below to look like the snood (the red part that hangs from a turkey's neck). Use the cake-decorating gel to dot the white candy discs with "pupils." Repeat until bark is covered with turkeys; you should be able to fit about 10.
4. For best visual effect, serve bark whole and let guests break it at the table.
mconrad@tribpub.com
Twitter @marissa_conrad
