Sunday, December 8, 2013

Baked Candy Cane Mug Hugger Recipe Tips and Tricks



Have you seen pictures of a little gingerbread house nestled on the edge of a mug? They look like a cute, functional way to serve drinks and snacks, but I never tried to make them because the multi-piece houses seemed like they would be messy for guests to eat. (If you're interested, check out not martha's post,a tiny gingerbread house that perches on the edge of your mug.) While I was plotting how to make an ornate single-cookie version, my mind shifted to candy cane breadsticks hanging from mugs.

After trying a couple of methods, I developed a recipe for soft, pillowy breadsticks with a dash of cinnamon and brown sugar. The sweetened breadsticks taste great on their own or topped with cream cheese frosting. If you want the mug hugger experience, top them with a bit of frosting and hang them on cups of hot cocoa or coffee.  

Shaping the Dough 
This dough is easy to handle and gives you a variety of options. You can shape it into 16 breadsticks about 6 to 8 inches long. Or, curve the bottom 2 or 3 inches of each breadstick into a “J” shape. Leave a gap about a half-inch wide between the curved and straight portions of the dough to allow ample room for the dough to rise. If there isn't enough room, your mug huggers won’t fit on the edge of a mug.   

You can make mini mug huggers to fit mugs that are about 4 inches tall. Divide the dough into smaller portions for a total of 32 pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 6 inches long and shape. Take care that the “J” shape is very prominent with a half-inch space between both portions. Otherwise, they will morph into tiny boomerangs.

If you divide one batch of dough to create an assortment of shapes and sizes, place the dough on different pans to rise so you can bake them separately. The mini mug huggers cook to perfection in about 8 minutes. The larger candy canes and breadsticks need to bake for 12 to 15 minutes.


dough placement

As you place the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet, leave at least a half-inch space between breadsticks to allow for rising. Alternate them to fit the most candy canes on the pan. If you want an assortment of left and right oriented mug huggers, be sure to vary the direction of the candy cane shapes because the backside isn't presentation-worthy.





Mug Hugger Serving Tips
If you want to prepare these cinnamon breadsticks in advance, skip the decorations so you don’t have to refrigerate the breadsticks because they taste much better at room temp. Instead, store the cooled breadsticks in an airtight container. Make a batch of cream cheese frosting and store it in a piping bag in the fridge. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve, take the frosting out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temp. Pipe a simple line, diagonal stripes, or a series of stars on the front of the breadsticks, and you’re ready to present this sweet treat! Be careful not to fill mugs all the way or the candy canes will become soggy as they soak.   

Get the recipe for Baked Cinnamon Candy Canes and Strips.

No comments:

Post a Comment