TIPS from Earlene - Wed Aug. 8 05:42:09 2001
Several years ago I made around 1,000 of those to sell during the Christmas season. I left the wrappers on the candy canes. Much safer for the public handling them.
Add a string loop and hang these on the Christmas tree for the kids!
When I made those I did make the royal icing in the mixer and it needs to be pretty stiff. By the way - that many Santa's is pretty hard on your hand.
I took one of the broken candy canes and used it to push holes into the Styrofoam to hold all the santa canes. Putting them as close together as I though I could work them. Then as each santa cane was worked on the hole was ready to accept it and you don't mess up the santa while you are working on.
After all the bodies are piped I had one extra piece of Styrofoam with the holes and I worked from a full sheet to an empty sheet until I had all of the second and third stages done. Then you also have a display for them if it doesn't have to be to pretty.
People loved choosing from all the different positions. Upside down, laying over the top, sliding down, legs wrapped around the poles.
You can make them now and they will still be good years from now if you keep them away from light, humidity, bugs, mice and children. LOL Really, because they are hard candy and royal icing that gets very hard - they can be made now for Christmas. Nothing about them to spoil.
MERRY
CHRISTMAS!