Mint leaf or Chocolate freckle tree.. Good edible activity for children.

 

When my children were young, we always had time to prepare some special kid friendly treats. Even my 18 year old exchange student liked this one....

Make a quick edible Xmas tree with the following recipe. You need icing sugar, ice cream cones, some lollies and and egg white.

This is great if you want to keep younger primary or preschool kids amused during the holidays.... You can even coax those totally uninterested in cooking to participate as it involves sweets! Good for talking and learning about measuring and weighing, heavy light

Children will have fun making and spreading the icing, making the star and then ultimately eating the finished product!!! The recipe could be adapted to more healthy variations, using nuts or fruit!

Mint Leaf Xmas tree
1 egg white
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
6 ice cream cones (triangular pointed variety)
400g mint leaf sweets or similar sweets
silver cachous

Sift icing sugar into bowl. Place egg white and 1/4 of the icing sugar in bowl, beat with electric mixer till well combined, add remaining icing sugar in 3 batches, beating well after each addition. Icing should be stiff but spreadable.
Cover icing with  a damp cloth.

Join three long triangular ice cream cones together using a little icing sugar between each one.
Repeat with remaining three cones.
Starting at the base of the the cones, spread icing over one third of cone.
Place a row of mint leaves around base of cone.
Spread more icing over middle of cone.
Place a row of mint leaves around cone, overlapping the first layer.
Spread remaining cone with icing.
Continue arranging rows of mint leaves around cone until about 6 or 7 rows are formed altogether .
Leave a little space at the top. Cover top with silver cachous.
Repeat procedure with remaining icing, cones and leaves.

Sprinkle extra icing sugar over trees.


 VARIATION:

Chocolate Freckle Tree

1 egg white
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
Green food colouring
250 g chocolate freckles or similar sweets

small piece white cardboard
glue
silver glitter.

Sift icing sugar into bowl. Place egg white and 1/4 of the icing sugar in bowl, beat with electric mixer till well combined, add remaining icing sugar in 3 batches, beating well after each addition. Icing should be stiff but spreadable. Colour with food colouring to simulate the Christmas tree.
 

Cover icing with  a damp cloth.

Method:



Join three long triangular ice cream cones together using a little icing sugar between each one.


Repeat with remaining three cones.







Starting at the base of the the cones, spread icing over one third of cone.



Place a row of freckles around base of cone.

Spread more icing over middle of cone.








Place a row of freckles around cone, overlapping the first layer.

Spread remaining cone with icing.






Continue arranging rows of freckles around cone until about 6 or 7 rows are formed altogether .











Leave a little space at the top.








Cut out a star shape with cardboard, spread with glue and sprinkle with glitter. Spread back of star with icing, and place on tree.




This recipe can also be made with White chocolate truffles and cream cheese or peanuts and coconut....you are only limited by your imagination!! Something for our stomach to ponder about in the silly season!