The Candy Cane

Candy canes were probably first introduced over 350 years ago. Professional candy makers had learned that sugar could be stretched and rolled into various shapes. This prompted them to produce straight, white sugar sticks that were easy to eat. During the 1600s, people began to decorate their homes at Christmas time. This typically involved a tree and various sweets like cookies, cakes, and stick candy. The historical evidence indicates that candy canes were first given the cane shape in 1670 by a German choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral. He supposedly gave the children who sang in his choir sugar sticks that were bent like a shepherd's staff to keep them quiet during long services. The tradition of handing out these candies during Christmas services spread throughout Europe.

The candy cane was first introduced to America in 1847 by a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard. He decorated a Christmas tree with candy canes in his Wooster, Ohio home. Evidently his creation had inspired others and a tradition was born.

While people had occasionally enhanced the appearance of the white candy cane with colored sugar prints, it was not until the early nineteenth century that candy canes got their stripes. It is not known exactly who gave candy canes this characteristic, but they have been produced that way ever since. This is also about the time when the flavors of peppermint and wintergreen were added to make the product known today.

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He incorporated several symbol for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the church and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which he reaches down into the world.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ.

In years to come the candy became known only as a candy cane - a meaningless decoration. But the meaning is still there for those who know. I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS AND HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas

Even If this is not the true story of the Candy Cane
I still like to share this version with my kids.

Well Besides The Traditonal Peppermint Candy Cane
They now have so many diffrent flavored Candy Canes.
Life Savers, Spree Flavored , Dum Dum flavored,
Jelly Belly Flavored, Smartie Flavored, Sour Punch
Flavored,Or you have blueberry ,strawberry,cinnamon,
cherry,bubble gum,wintergreen.Or you also can have lemon, orange,grape,apple pie,butterscottch,cotton
candy,vanilla and even Chocolate. What ever flavor
you can think of i am sure you will find it
in the Candy Candy.

I make These Every Year with The Kids And It is
a easy And Cheep Craft.

What You Will Need.

Candy canes wrapped in cellophane
Package of 12" red chenille stems
Package of 1/4" or 3/8" googly eyes
Red ribbon, 1/8" or 1/4" width
Package of small red pom-poms
Sheet of aluminum foil
Hot glue gun
Tweezers or needle-nose craft pliers

Cut chenille stem in half to make two 6-inch stems.
Step2 Cut one of the 6-inch stems in half to make two 3-inch stems.
Step3 Twist each 3" stem around the 6" piece, about one inch from each end, to create the antlers.
Step4 Fold the 6" stem with antlers into a U or V shape.
Step5 Hot-glue the antlers to the underside of the crook of the cane.
Step6 Using tweezers or needle-nost craft pliers, glue two googly eyes about halfway up the crook of the cane.
Step7 Using tweezers or needle-nose craft pliers, glue a red pom-pom (the nose) toward the tip of the crook of the cane.
Step8 Tie a 6" piece of red ribbon into a bow, and hot-glue the bow to the neck of the reindeer.

Another easy and cheap craft to make with the kids.

What you Need:
Two candy canes
Hot glue
Ribbon or bells
String and needle

1.Glue the two cany canes together to form a Heart
Like the picture shows.
2. Decorate with bells or ribbon or both.
3.String is used so you can hang on christmas tree.

These are cute for the tree pr you can decorate presents with them.

Things you Will Need

Glass Candle Holder (3-inch x 4-inch)
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Scissors
Wrapped candy canes
Ribbon
Candle

Glue wide ribbon around center of glass candle holder. Note: The candy canes will be glued to this ribbon.

Turn candle holder over so that open end is on table; the flat bottom will be to support hold candle.

Glue candy canes to ribbon all around glass candle holder.

Decorate with ribbon however you would like.

Place candle on glass holder

Cute centerpiece for the holidays.

crust indgredents

36 (2 cups) chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup whipping cream



Filling Ingredents

1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped
2/3 cup coarsely crushed red or green hard peppermint candies

Combine all crust ingredients in small bowl. Press onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Melt chocolate chips and 2/3 cup whipping cream in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth (4 to 5 minutes). Pour over crust. Place in freezer while making filling (at least 10 minutes).

Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese and peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth and creamy. Gently stir in whipped cream and crushed candies. Spread evenly over ganache layer. Sprinkle with additional crushed candy, if desired. Cover; freeze 4 hours or overnight.

To serve, cut into squares. Top each serving with small candy cane, if desired. Serve frozen or refrigerated. Store frozen.

A Little Tip
To crush candy, place in resealable plastic food bag and pound with a rolling pin or meat mallet, checking often to make sure you don't pulverize the candy.

If you Love Candy Canes You will love this dessert.

Things you will need

2 - 1lb bags white chocolate melts
12 candy canes broken into bits
9+1/2 x 11+1/2 baking pan
wax paper
double boiler
air-tight container

In a double boiler on low heat, melt 2 bags of white chocolate melts; stirring until all pieces are melted.
Step2Line a baking pan with wax paper and evenly sprinkle the broken bits of candy cane over the wax paper.
Step3Pour the melted chocolate over the candy cane bits; cool.
Step4When cool, break into large chunks and store in an air-tight container.

Little tip you can also add a layer of dark chocolate over the white chocolate if you want.
use the same amount as you used for the white.

What you will need

1 1/3 c Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
2 T Sugar
1/4 c Butter or margarine
1 1/2 c Sour Cream
1/2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
1 T Flour
2 ts Vanilla
1/4 ts Peppermint extract
3 8oz packages of Cream Cheese
2 T Butter
2/3 c Crushed peppermint candy

Preheat oven to 325F. Combine first 3 ingredients and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Blend sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour and both extracts until smooth. Add cream cheese and 2 T butter. Stir in crushed candy.

2. Pour into crust and bake on lowest rack of oven for 50-60 minutes or until firm. Allow to cool (top may crack) and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan and serve.

3. Top with sweetened whip cream and garnish with candy cane if desired.