Written By Camille Harris
When I first saw the bow candy canes, I thought you had to purchase these like this from the store. After I discovered I could make these myself, I went to the store to buy the candy canes and the parchment paper. The excitement I had for making these was at the same level as it is for me when I try a new viral recipe.
On the way to the store, I thought about how someone could decorate so much with these candy cane bows for the holidays. They are too cute not to try. This craft project is something that you can do with your family as a holiday activity. My family and I have something we can do after we make our gingerbread houses this year.
Initially, the only concern I have with this is how I am going to protect my hands from the hot candy after I take it out of the oven. You must squeeze the candy together when it is warm to reshape the candy canes.
*** Make sure you have something on to protect your hands from the candy, if it is too hot for your hands.
Watch Video on Youtube click here How to Make Candy Cane Bows
Link to View the How to Video on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/61555700754020/videos/1517895515545992
ITEMS NEEDED
Photo Credit I Need To Know How
1 box of 35 mini peppermint candy canes – I purchased two boxes because I needed extra candy canes for the centerpiece of the bows. Purchase the candy canes with a wider opening. Each bow uses two candy canes and a piece of another candy cane for the centerpiece.
Baking pan
Parchment paper
*****Something to place over your hands to protect it from the hot candy when you are reshaping the candy canes.
All ovens are not the same. Some people on the internet had 175 degrees, while others had 175 degrees for 10 minutes. I tested one candy cane in the oven and removed it after ten minutes to see if it would be easy to shape into the desired shape. The candy canes didn’t melt enough when I tried 175 degrees for 10 minutes. So I had to adjust my oven to 200 degrees and let the candy canes stay in the oven for 8 minutes for both steps below.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Place a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Cover the entire bottom of the baking pan with the parchment paper.
Remove the plastic from the outside of the candy canes. Remove the candy cane from the bag if it is in a clear bag.
For each bow, ensure the candy canes are the same length. This will ensure that both of the tails for the bow are the same length.
Place the candy canes in the baking pan on the parchment paper, like in the picture below.
Photo Credit I Need To Know How
Put one candy cane on top of the other one at an angle.
You must place one slightly on top of the other one.
Place the pan in the oven for 8 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, shape the candy canes into a heart shape on the top, and shape the bottom of both candy canes to resemble the bottom of a bow.
Photo Credit I Need To Know How
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Note: be careful because these are hot. Wear some gloves when you touch these to shape them.
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Take another candy cane and break it to have a shape like the one in the picture below.
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Place one of these in the middle of your bows in the pan you have already shaped.
Place the baking pan back in the oven for another 8 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. If needed, shape the middle piece or any other part of the bow.
Photo Credit I Need To Know How
There you have it, some cute candy cane bows.
TIPS for MAKING THESE – READ BEFORE YOU PURCHASE YOUR CANDY CANES
I suggest only placing the same-sized candy canes on the baking sheet because the bigger candy canes take longer to soften.
It is essential to leave a space between the two heart shapes at the top of the bow so that you will have enough space for the middle piece.
When I first tried these, I used regular and mini-sized candy canes. I don’t recommend making these with the bigger candy canes. The mini candy canes are much easier to work with for this project and look much better as a bow.
I did not expect the need to go to multiple stores to purchase candy canes. Creating these candy cane bows made me aware that not all candy canes by different brands are shaped the same.
Most of the regular candy canes were broken in one package. I couldn’t tell this until I removed them from the box.
Some of the candy canes were not the same length. The quality of the store brand could have been better than the quality of the name-brand candy canes. I had to pay more for the name-brand candy canes, but they were well worth it.
Some candy canes had a tiny opening, while other brands had a wider opening. I decided to use the ones with the wider opening because it gave me more flexibility to shape the bows how I wanted them.
When I made my first set of candy cane bows, I noticed some were not the same length. Make sure both candy canes for each bow are the same length. This will ensure that both of the tails for the bow are the same length, and the bow looks more uniform.
The hardest part for me was breaking candy canes for the centerpieces. Sometimes, you must laugh at yourself, remember not to give up, and have fun. I used many candy canes to get the middle pieces the same and with a curve in each one. Not all pieces you put in the middle of the bows will be the same or be shaped like a curve. After you remove the pan from the oven the second time, you can shape the middle piece into a curve if needed. Yes, you can use a piece that is not curved. If you do, make she you squeeze the middle piece to get the shape of the middle piece.
Be careful with these bows and handle them with care. They will break very easy. You can use clear EDIBLE candy glue if you want to ensure that they hold together.
