I am officially obsessed with these candy serving trays…and guess who I got the idea from?!
Hosea Rosenberg, founder and chef of BlackBelly Catering.
Yes, he’s also the Top Chef Season 5 winner 🙂
Jenna and I met him at Anne Be’s Five party a few weeks ago, and he was kind enough to share this creative idea with me!
{Thanks, Hosea!}
This DIY serving tray is adorable to serve your holiday cookies, apps or drinks! It’s an easy {and cheap} way to add a little something extra to your holiday treats.
Hosea’s beautiful creation at Five:
Mint Serving Tray
You’ll need:
Brach’s Starbright Mints {we bought mints from Candy Crate}
a cookie sheet
parchment or wax paper {I used wax paper, but heard parchment paper works better!}
your oven
How To:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place wax paper on cookie sheet
3. Arrange mints in any design you wish on top of wax paper or parchment paper on a cookie sheet {allowing extra room on the sides}
4. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes
5. Take out and allow to cool on cookie sheet {cools in approximately 5 minutes}
6. Remove wax paper from bottom {be careful, tray is fragile and breaks easily}
Voila! A beautiful serving tray!
{Don’t forget your wax paper underneath the mints!
… lesson learned on this tray because it never made it off the cookie sheet in one piece!}
sending love…
{images via Tutto Bella & Jenna Walker Photographers}
Jodi –
This is such a cute idea! How creative and simple! Very sad I missed out on the giveaways this past week. Merry Christmas to you and Drew!
Hey Madison! I’m glad you like the tray idea! Suspended Moments is offering a discount for a personalized hanger, so definitely stay tuned 🙂 It would be so cute for your wedding! Merry Christmas to you and Kyle!
I just made the mint try……I did it in a spring form pan with wax paper. I baked it for 10 minutes. I have waited all year to try this. The wax paper would not peel off but you know, I like the paper being on. I set my try on a round end table with a candy dish on it!!!! I love it!!!!
Wonderful idea thanks for sharing. I am thinking of doing this with my student. They can give a beautiful creation to their mothers that is truly one of a kind. Thanks for the inspiration!
I tried this today and couldn’t get the mints to melt at all…and I had them in there for quite awhile. What am I doing wrong?
HELP! Just tried a super cute one and after cooling, the whole thing broke. Any way of salvaging it other than starting over?
I had the same issue! They were in there for 30 min. and the edges were runny, but the middle was nearly solid. And the melted part had a golden color to them — No shiny white luster! No clue what I did wrong. Oh, well…
try to make a tray or coaster, or wreath ornament in a smaller size. that seems to work really well. good luck. happy holidays.
I made one today and the second I got them out of the oven I laid the parchment with the mints on them over a large skillet. I carefully pressed the edges down so when it dried my platter would have a lip. I did notice that the shiny side is on the bottom of the dish 🙁 Next time I will lay another piece of parchment over the top and turn it over. Anyway, I had fun!
Love this idea!
Do they get sticky?
They can get sticky if they are stored in a warm setting or if you hold them when they are not completely dry. I made mine over a week ago, and they were able to dry with a little glossy feel. You can also buy a sealant from a hardware store. Good luck! 🙂
I would just break them up after your party and put in a bowl or cannister to have when you wanted.
Careful to be sure the sealant is safe to put food on.
Do you know what kind of sealant would be food safe? Also, if you dont put a sealant on it, have you tried hand washing these? I’m guessing they are a couple time use and then need to make another one? Totally love the idea!! Definetly going to try it out!
I have made several different pieces. Do you think I can stack them with parchment in between? Or will that ruin the gloss? I came up with some different ideas too. I made wreaths by leaving the middle out and ornaments with just 7 candies. I think I like them the best. I bought a 7 lb bag at Sam’s, so I had a lot to work with. I like the way the trays look when you use a pan with sides, it keeps the sides from getting too thin. Also I took the broken candies and put them in the food processor making pink sugar and used that to make a cool looking tray with broken pieces stuck in for accent. I like that one a lot too.
Barbara, you ought to add a picture of your ideas. I’d be interested to see what you made.
Can this be done with anything other than Starlight mints??
we’ve done this with jolly ranchers and it worked great. good luck.
Ive had mine in the fridge for a week, and its still sticky..I’m going to try the sealant..
Is this a one time use then? Also is it sticky?
Not necessarily a one time use. I brought mine to a jewelry party the other night, and now I am using it at the house for holiday chocolate. If you allow it to dry at room temperature, it will have a glossy finish and won’t be sticky 🙂
couldn’t you just put some clear saran wrap over the top of it as well so as to not be sticky, or get minty flavor on the food you’re serving on it?
Opening all those candies are a pain!!!!! hahaha
Hey Jodi,
I did this today (I’m on a break from teaching and how have so much time!!), but my edges got messed up. They melted together and kind of ran together. Did that happen to you?
Hey Therese!
No, that has not happened to me. What shape were you making? Were the edges too close together? I think maybe it was in the oven for too long, which caused it to run. Let me know!
PS It might take a few trial runs to get the hang of it. I didn’t use wax paper the first time I tried it. Let’s just say it broke… ha!
Do you put anything on them to keep them pretty, or are these a one-time use deal? Too cute not to try!!
Hi Leslie,
I haven’t… but I bet you could use a sealant as an extra coat to prevent damage and/or melting. I have used mine for multiple uses. Be careful because they can break! Thanks for commenting 🙂
iF IT DOES BREAK COULD YOU PUT IT BACK IN THE OVEN TO MELT AGAIN?
Oh, this is so cool! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for visiting our blog, Beth 🙂
Don’t the trays get sticky? I live in Texas. It’s very humid here.
Hi Lisa,
I’ve only had one tray turn out sticky out of the ten that I’ve made. The rest have had a glossy finish to them and are not sticky. I live in Colorado, so it is very dry. Try it out and see how it dries. You could try refrigerating the tray and coating it with a sealant if it does not air dry well in the humidity. Good luck!
It will probably get sticky. And I think the fridge might make it worse because of the elevated humidity. I also live in Colorado and have done something similar (melted candy ornaments) and it normally works perfectly, except for the one time when I was boiling water for pasta and the kitchen got slightly more humid than normal.
And I can’t think of any kind of sealant that would be food safe. I’m a bit worried to see so many people suggesting that.
What about ceramic glazes meant for plates? That would surely be food safe and you could probably find it at Michaels.
paint on ceramic glazes at michaels such as porceline etc. ARE NOT FOOD SAFE.
Do I need to wait for it to cool and dry completely before peeling the wax paper off?
I removed my wax paper off when it was just a bit warm, but dry enough to not bend. It is fine if you wait until it is completely dry – I think it just might stick more. Thanks for commenting!
Jodi,I used cookie cutters to make stars and snow flakes out of the peppermint candy and it never got pass being very sticky,had to throw away. I live in South Carolina.Any suggests.I really want to make these.
Can you only put candy on them
I’ve put candy and cookies on them this season. I love them for little things like mints on the coffee table, too. I think any type of appetizer would also work great! Try it out 🙂
This is an amazing idea. I just posted it on my blog!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post!
Simply beautiful! A definite must-do for this week. Have you tried with any other hard candies yet? Say butterscotch rounds or jolly ranchers? I’m curious if you could achieve a “stained-glass” look with see-through candy like the jolly’s…
Thank you for the post!
Yes! Jolly Ranchers are next on my list! I’m loving the way you are thinking, Amber! I can’t wait to use pinks and blues – it’s going to look so pretty! Butterscotch rounds would be awesome, too! I’ll be posting my results on the blog. Let me know how it goes if you try it! Thank you for commenting!!
I have used jolly ranchers for the windows in my gingerbread houses and they work really well. I also made a candy bowl out of jolly ranchers; pretty cool!
How did you shape the jolly ranchers into a bowl?
How did you do the jolly ranchers? I would like to make my neighbor something different for Christmas this year.
Jolly ranchers are a great idea. I’m visualizing a stained glass window look.
I am going to try it with lifesavers, I have a bunch left over from a cookie project that I will never eat. I can understand people being worried about it getting sticky, I am thinking maybe a coat of ModPodge to seal it? I will let you know how the life savers work out.
I’d love to know how they turn out! Sounds so cute! ModPodge sounds like a good idea – thanks for the tip!
They spread out really thin, burnt, got bubbly and smoky. That was at about 6 minutes. So I would call it a failed experiment. I am going to have to go to the store and get some mints, it is so cute! Have you used any other candies?
Oh no! What temperature was it at? My oven got a little smoky while it was baking too, but it didn’t burn. Maybe back for less time or turn the temp down a notch? Here’s a tip for the bubbles. Right when you take the cookie sheet out, pop the bubbles using a toothpick, and they will melt down to the tray!
I haven’t used any other candies… yet. Jolly Ranchers are next on my list – I can’t wait to incorporate the pink! One of the ladies suggested butterscotch rounds and another suggested lifesavers. I’ll keep you posted on the Jolly Ranchers!
I did it at 350, I was thinking a lower temperature, maybe they have more sugar than the mints? Thats the only reason I could think it would happen. I will try again tomorrow and get back to you.
I have used lifesavers to make ornaments with my schoolkids. I think the trick was to take them out right before you lost the hole in the middle. Once out, they would still be melting for a minute…if you waited too long it didn’t work
These are a great idea, and look very cute. Do you think they could be made, or molded in to a small bowl?
Yes! I think it would work if you placed it in a bowl right after you take it out of the oven so that it will be nice and hot for molding. Super cute! Thanks for commenting, Tami!
Tami, I just did it and created a beautiful drape bowl!!!! Unfortunately, with the turn of events, I stuck it in the freezer so I could tend to my kids and thought it would speed up the cooling process…. STUPID! don’t do that!!!!! So, the answer is YES! You can flip your cookie sheet over onto another bowl to make a drape bowl while it’s still hot, but let it do it’s thing on it’s own…. don’t rush the cooling process!!!!
(I don’t know how to post photos here of the process though!)
I tried to do a bowl by taking it out of the oven and putting the soft candy in a bowl. I looked cool, but the edges ran down into the bottom of the bowl making them very thin, also a lot of wrinkles.
I would put an edge around the bowl near where the candy would be and turn the candy tray down over the bowl to prevent gravity from pulling it down too thin. I am gonna be making a tray very soon and then a bowl.
I’ve made these before, but as children’s ornaments. They were shaped as wreaths, with the child’s photo glued in the center. If you hope to keep them, you definitely need to cover with poly! Do NOT store in attic. (bad lesson learned)
Ha! Thanks Debbie!
How did you attach the hooks for the ornaments??
so cute — found it on pinterest, when looking for a fun/cheap/easy craft to do with my friend’s four year old. per.fect.
wow that is soo cool!!! are they sticky at all?
So my first question about this when I saw it was is it sticky? But then I saw that you answered that question multiple times. 🙂
My second question is: if you put brownies or cookies or things like that on it does it make them taste minty?
Hi Sarah!
I put gingerbread cookies and toffee on the tray, and they did not pick up and mint flavoring. I think it maybe depends on how long they are on the tray and if the setting is cool. You could put sealant on it just to be safe!
Try using paper cups for your treats, or maybe a paper lace circles, flavors shouldn’t transfer then…
Have you tried making a bowl with it?
http://www.candywarehouse.com/starlights.html here’s a site with lots of different colors of mints!
Love this idea!
V-
So much fun! Thanks for sharing!
In the top picture it appears the edges were cut off to make a perfect circle. I bet you can cut away unwanted edges while it was still hot. I thought about a bowl too! Very nice and Im going to try it!
It’s very tedious because you have to be quick at it before the candy hardens, but it works! I did that on the candy cane tray, but only on one corner. I think it would be really messy {and difficult} to cut around the entire tray! Hats of to whoever can 🙂
I bet if you inverted the bowl and draped the candy slab over it pressing gently while it was still warm you could easily achieve a bowl shape!
OMG, I need to make a few of these! TOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!
You used wax paper not parchment? I would think that the wax paper would burn.
Good call. I haven’t had a problem with it, but maybe parchment would work better. Thanks for the suggestion!!
Yeah I used wax paper … and it didn’t burn, but it definitely made my kitchen smell offf. I pressed it into a glass pie plate because I didn’t want to deal with making one, but I wanted a type of bowl thing. It was great! My family loved it and now I want to bring more things to family events just to use it again!
I can’t wait to try jolly ranchers. What a great idea! My husband said we should go get some now!
I just tried it with wax paper and it burnt real bad…what an awlful smell. Guess I will try it with parchment paper next time.
This is *such* a darling idea … I’m going to try it right NOW! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Made one tonight, love it and as cheap as peppermints are they are great. I wonder if you could used the red cinnamon ones for a different look!
I was thinking red/white peppermints or the red cinnamon’s would be good for a heart shaped one if
anyone is having a Valentine’s party.
This is awesome! What a great idea. I’m going to have to see if I can get this done before my Christmas Eve party. 🙂
I’d love for you to link up and share: http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/2011/12/pinteresting-party-with-christmas.html
If you were to pick up the wax paper as soon as you took the tray out of the oven and then dropped it into a bowl while the mints were still warm, would it take the shape of the bowl? Maybe a fun experiment…
How cool, I can’t wait to experiment with this!
Cute, cute, cute idea!!!
This would be the cutest base for a gingerbread house!!!
Oh my gosh YES!
That is a fantastic idea. We always use cardboard wrapped in foil under our GB houses, but this is WAYYY better!
I read that some of you were thinking about using Jolly Ranchers. A few years ago I actually made Jolly Rancher ornaments as little gifts! You just need metal cookie cutters in your desired shape, aluminum foil (or wax paper) and jolly ranchers. Sometimes I would spray the foil and cookie cutter with Pam but I you use wax paper it might not stick at all. Put your cookie cutter on the paper and then insert a few jolly ranchers. Allow them to melt in the oven and then take them out. Use a toothpick while it is still hot to make a small round hole in the shape so that you can tie a ribbon through. They turn out super cute!
I love this idea, Terri. Were you able to reuse the ornaments?
These are so beautiful!! Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this, so I made 2 last night. First a tray, but it sort of ran on the edges (still cute, but not perfectly rectangular). I’m sure it was my fault, I was doing other things and I’m sure I left it in the oven too long while I was making marshmallows. Still, it was cute. So, I thought, ok, I’ll make one in a round pan and that will solve THAT problem. So I had my husband cut a round piece (I used parchment paper as I don’t have any wax paper in the house) a little bigger than the bottom of a cake pan (so I would be able to lift it out and it wouldn’t stick to the edge of the cake pan) and made one. I let it cool in the pan. It worked well!
However, both were very sticky when they dried. I live in South Florida and that may be the issue, VERY humid here. So, since I was making marshmallows and I had cornstarch out to deal with the stickiness issues with them I thought…what the heck. So, I dusted them with cornstarch. I did it several times, letting it sit between coatings and wiping it off. It does not come out as pretty and shiny, but it does seem to deal with the stickiness issue if anyone else is having the problem I was.
Thank you for this adorable idea. I will put a couple of photos on my blog in the next couple of days and link back here. Glad I found your blog! 🙂
I am so glad you found a way to solve the sticky problem in humidity! Thank you so much for sharing, Susan! We will definitely check out your blog 🙂
PS I just got word last night that a nail file smooths out imperfections on the edges
This is way to cool NOT to try! I found this on pinterest! I think this will how I bring treats to my Christmas party! Thanks so much for sharing!
So clever! I love it!
how can i save these trays or crafts to keep for years to come? i live in Texas very humid.. i need the easiest and cheapest ideas please..it is a great idea so festive and cute.. and did anyone try the parchment paper instead.. to see if it would come out better..
This is the most fabulous entertaining idea ever! I wonder if it gets sticky like regular peppermint candies sometimes are.
This is too simple and too adorable to not make. Now trying to remember where I saw some mint/chocolate candies! I suppose you could finish them off to keep but seem so easy to make that storing presents itself as a bigger problem for me then anything; I’m OK with making new ones each year!
I’ve got some plain black plastic serving trays; I’m going to ‘try’ and make one to fit onto it for the added stability without losing the cuteness…thanks to you and Hosea for sharing.
exactly what I was thinking…trace your plain tray shape onto parchment papter, then fill in design with the candies – before they completely harden place them on or into the plain tray…great idea.
Hello everyone!
I wanted to let you all know a few tips that our amazing readers have suggested to help out with sticky issues when making the tray:
1. Dust the tray with cornstarch, wiping it off in between coatings. This will help with stickiness in humid climates! {Thanks, Susan!}
2. A nail file works wonders for trimming imperfections on the tray’s edges. {Thanks, Shannon!}
3. Parchment paper works very well! {Thanks again, Susan!}
4. Use a sealant to help conserve the lifetime of the tray and cover up stickiness.
Thank you all so much for commenting and giving us your feedback! We love to know that you are trying the project and finding helpful tips!
I haven’t made these, but it occurred to me that you could just wrap it with plastic wrap to keep it from being sticky and then it won’t make your food taste minty either. Then when you are done with it, you could break it and eat it. I think my kids would get a kick out of that. 🙂
I just tried these using some sugar free hard candy I had around. THey turned out very pretty, but the edges did run. I think 8 min might have been too long for the sugar free kind. Could not get the waxed paper off at all, so one sice just has a waxed paper coating. One I tried taking off after 5 minutes, and the other I let dry a little longer (8-9min) before trying to take off, Both did not come off. guess I will have to try parchment paper!
I am so excited about this that I am going to the store first thing tomorrow to get everything I need!!!!! The neighbors are going to love the cookie platters this year!!!!!!!!!
Hi! Does this flavor the food at all? I’d hate to have mint flavored bruschetta! LOL
Nevermind, I saw the question/answer above! Thanks!
Ok I see that you said it can be used multiple times. How do you wash it. It seems like making it wet would mess it up and make it sticky.
Yes, it can get a bit sticky if you wipe it. If you are planning to use more than one time (and for something other than individually wrapped candies), I would try using a coat of sealant. Thanks for commenting, Sommer!
This project rocks! I just wanted to let you know that I featured it this week on “You Sew Rock Me Fridays” on my blog SewRockin.com. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: http://wp.me/p1VAkT-ie
Thanks so much, Jamie! You rock! We will definitely be visiting your fabulous blog!
LOVE this. Just how easily do they break??
They can crack pretty easily, so be careful, especially when you are setting them down on a table!
Going to try this and give as gifts! Here’s to hoping that it works out. I absolutely love this idea and am so glad I found it!
Finally a use for that awkward collection of mints I get with takeout from some restaurants! 🙂 Great post, will be doing this on Saturday.
Ha! Love it! Thanks for visiting the blog!
I can’t get mine off the wax paper?? Any suggestions? I tried even spraying with PAM. I thought maybe I’m not letting them cool long enough. Love the idea. They are my trays for giving cookies to the neighbor.
Hi Danielle,
In my experience, taking the wax paper off while the tray was still warm helps. One time, I took it off a tray that was completely dry at room temp, and it stuck more. Try taking it off when the tray is still warm, but hard enough to still keep its shape – if that makes any sense! I hope this helps you out! I am so glad you made them and hope your neighbors love it! Thank you for commenting!
Instead of using parchment paper, I was wondering if the silicone mat that you use for cookies would work. Nothing sticks to it.
hairdryer?
I really would recommend using parchment paper. The wax in the wax paper is probably merging with the melted candy. Parchment works wonderfully for making glass candy on, and I’ll bet it would work for the trays, too. I haven’t had a chance to try this yet, but I fully intend to use the parchment paper. It doesn’t melt.
I was so excited to make these..and so disappointed when mine didn’t turn out. I did exactly as shown and my edges ran terrible and even burned while the middle hardly melted. So, I turned down the temp a bit for the second one. It did the same thing, only didn’t burn. And, I couldn’t get any of the wax paper off either one. What could be the problem?
Hi Brandi,
Sorry yours didn’t turn out! So, the second time, it was fine except for the wax paper not coming off? A few of our readers have been using parchment paper – maybe give that a go. Also, try using a cookie sheet that is thicker. Some cookie sheets are more insulated than others, and maybe yours is thinner, which causes things to burn easily. I used Baker’s Secret pans that I would describe as medium thickness. Let me know how that works!!
This will match my color theme perfectly this year! Thanks for sharing it with me!
We did the mints today and it was fun. Here are my tips:
Fill in gaps with broken pieces.
Take it out of the oven flat because it will run.
8 min for small items. 10 min for larger items.
If you need to shape the edges with a knife do it immediately after it gets out of the oven.
Let it cool on the parchment or wax paper and then use a sharp knife and run around the edges leaving the paper on the back of the mints. That way the back won’t be tacky.
Love the tip about leaving the paper on the back!! I was a bit afraid if I made them they would end up sticking to the table!
Tricia,
Thank you for your wonderful tips! I will have to try leaving the paper on the back myself! 🙂
Love this!!
That is the neatest idea, especially for taking to a pot luck or as a hostess gift.
This is a great Idea.
Thanks for sharing the lovely tutorial! I’m definitely going to try this tonight!
I wonder if you could stack them to make the tray thicker and less fragile?
i tried this tonight and my son had a great idea of putting the candy in letters for the initals of our friends. it turned out great, a little sticky but great and our friends loved them!!! thanks for the idea
Love this idea!
Love this idea! I bet using candy canes would make a neat pattern too!
My daughter and I tried it tonight…it was fun to do together. It turned out cute. Our edges weren’t as neat as the picture…they ran a little while we waited for the center to melt. For the next one, I will take it out earlier, bc I realized it kept melting after we took it out. We left the wax paper on the back as well even though we sprayed it with PAM. Thanks for the cute idea!
Any tips on how to make the corners from running?? I tried it twice now and I can’t seem to get it to work 🙂
Parchment paper works much easier. Jolly rancher double (circle candy) work but only leave about 4-5 minutes at 300`. We’ve made ornaments and bowls for Christmas breakfast.
Love this! Does anyone know some good food-safe sealants? Maybe some regularly used for dishware? I don’t want to use some of the stuff I already have b/c the chemical toxicity is definitely not idea for eating food off of. Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
I sprayed my trays with a few coats of polyurethane and it’s perfect. Shiny and not sticky. Definitely leave the wax paper on the back of the tray to keep it from being sticky and for added strength.
I have mine in the oven now I also bought high gloss polyurethane to coat mine with I seen that in another blog somewhere. I am planning on giving them as gifts from my 9yr old son and putting our christmas cookies that we will be baking this eveing on. Wish us luck 🙂
HINT##### I took a pizze cutter to trim up any runny edges <3
pizza* 🙂
Parchment paper works much better than wax paper. Wax paper smokes in the oven as well as I couldn’t get it off the back. My edges also ran a bit more than the middle did (but had to leave it in the oven longer in order for the middle to be melted) so I think next time I’ll lower the oven temp. I’m sure all candies and all ovens aren’t created the same so it’s probably trial and error. Good thing the candy is cheap, I found mints at the dollar store so a buck a bag (tray) isn’t bad. Also, I think those little felt circles that you put under chair legs would work great on the bottom of the tray. Make for a little cushion and hopefully be less likely to break.
Found this on Pinterest and made one today. It turned out awesome! Thanks f
my daughter and her friend(13 yoa) did one in a round pan….turned out pretty good except they did not leave any room for expansion..kinda curled up on the edges, but still turned out good!! And they LOVED doing it.
Found your blog on Pinterest today! My family was coming over to come make gingerbread houses, and I decided we would try these as the base! They turned out so cute! Thanks for sharing these!
what about stacking the mints? wouldnt that make the tray stronger? I am going to try both the mints and the jolly ranchers
Love this idea!! Searched the stores to find them left so close to Christmas. Found them in store 3. Can’t wait to try!
This is great!!! Thanks for sharing the idea! I used cinnamon candies and they did good just melts a little faster. Also I discovered as soon as you take it out of the oven you can use a tooth pick and swirl the mints!
My daughter just asked if you could eat the platter. LOL!
My daughter did one with a candy cane in the middle of mints….and her friend did one with both mints and cinnamon candies….neither on turned out. they both ran together and did not stay in the shape of a square or rectangle. How do you make them stay “square”?
Made about 4 today…used lifesavers (green & red) to surround the red peppermint candies. I doubled the lifesavers the 2nd go around, as they melt much quicker than peppermint candies. Turned out very well and gave as hostess gifts. Santa’s cookie tray is out and ready for him to partake! (Yes, agree, wax paper doesn’t peel off, I cut/peeled off the paper and used as strong backing.)
🙂
Awesome idea and it turned out great. Gonna put the Santa hat brownies on it and serve for fun tomorrow.
need help asap —– made a platter in a square baking pan and dd not take it out immediately. let it cool and now it is stuck in the pan????? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks Eva
Just heat it up again…Next time use a silicone baking mat….it works perfect. No sticking.
Yesterday, I finally tried this. I used the chocolate mint candies. While they were melting, I took a toothpick and swirled a design, beautiful green and brown swirls, popped it back in the oven to let it smooth out. When I removed it from the oven, I turned the mat over a bowl covered with a sheet of parchment and it formed a great bowl. The swirls were beautiful.and the bowl smells divine…Love this and will make it again, using smaller bowls and then serve ice cream in them. Perfect. I am so glad this has been shared with all of us. THANK YOU
Tamie,
For making swirled bowls this is definitely the best way. But if you are wanting to make a solid chocolate bowl, a very easy way is to take chocolate bark and melt it. Then fill balloons with water (tie the tops) and dip in the slightly cooled chocolate. Set on a waxed paper-lined tray and let cool.
When they have cooled and hardened completely, poke/cut a hole in the TOP of the balloon, pour the water out and carefully remove the balloon. Perfect for ice cream bowls. Almond bark would work great for white bowls
I did this and it works but I tried to do the brush on modgepodge stuff and it made the red run so I suggest spray on if you are wanting to protect it and keep it. This experience has been trial and error haha BUT this was a super cute idea.
such a great idea! I love it! This will be a fun project for kids.
I was thinking that Jolly ranchers would be cool- like stained glass. Have you tried them yet?
Im wondering, if after you take it out of the oven, while its still warm, if you mold it to a bowl if you can acheive a bowl effect….hmmmmm.
I’m picturing Valentine’s Day and the potential! 🙂
I was wondering if these worked out with jolly ranchers, or lifesavers/butterscotch candies. I love this idea and was thinking to do this for my kids birthdays.
This is so cool! I am definitely trying this. I may try some other hard candy since Christmas is over, but I am making these next Christmas for sure!
Be sure to not have the mints touching because when I tried this, they were all touching and the mints never melted evenly. The mints on the outside were melted much more than the ones in the middle.
thanks for the Beautiful idea….can’t wait to try making some! I LOVE IT!
This is super neat! I read most of the comments but couldn’t read them all. This is a silly question, but just out of curiosity, can you eat it? lol thanks
Yes you can 🙂 I took a bite out of the very first tray that I made because it didn’t turn out exactly how I wanted it. YUM!!
Brilliant. I’m sharing this on my blog!
I wonder what candy you could use for Valentine’s Day? It would be fun to make little trays for my students with a cookie on each. Any ideas anyone?
Check out Bargain Hoot – she did an awesome job taking this idea to another level with heart-shaped cut outs! http://bargainhoot.com/2012/01/02/peppermint-trays-and-heart-shaped-cut-outs-from-melted-mint-candies/ (the link is at the bottom of the page)
Does anyone have the name of a sealant that is food safe that they used successfully?
does anyone know of a food safe sealant that would work on these plates?
OMG I HAVE TO MAKE THIS! Do you know long these last? I guess… do they go bad? Do they stick to the counter? Such an awesome idea!!
They can have a tendency to get a little sticky, but mostly have just a glossy finish. I have had mine out on a table to display mints since the beginning of December 🙂
Can I use any other type of candy? I would like to make this for my son’s birthday next month but the mints are too Christmas like. Any suggestions?
Trying using Jolly Ranchers! We’ve had some readers use red cinnamon candies, too 🙂
love this. I am going to try to make a shamrock for St Patty’s Day.
Found this on pinterest. Kinda sad I didn’t see it before the holidays, but definitely something I’m going to try, maybe Valentines Day or even in an egg shape for Easter. Thanks so much for sharing!
Has anyone ever tried covering them in mod podge?? My aunts daddy passed away recently and I plan to make her one like this with his initial in the middle! His nickname was “Peppermint man” Wondering if mod podge would be good to keep it from being sticky and possibly make it a little stronger!!?!
Has anyone tried placing this on a upside down bowl w/ wax paper on it after you take it out of the oven to make a bowl?
Hard candy serving dish
I love it. Can’t wait to try it around Christmas time.
Could you make these out of a different hard candy? Like jolly ranchers for instance?
we plan to try it with jolly ranchers. i don’t see why it wouldn’t work. let us know if you do it and how it turns out. we hope to do it soon. thanks for stopping by.
love the idea – wish i’d thought of it years ago! read the comment about the butterscotch disks and had an idea. wouldn’t that make a wonderful bowl for chocolate ice cream? 🙂
How do you wash them? What happens if they get wet?
Can these be cleaned once sealant/modpodge is dry?
Saw this on Pinterest & of course, repinned. Couldn’t be simpler & more creative. You’re a Sweet Genius!
If you sprayed it with a sealant, could you wash it for reusing? This is a great gift idea for family gifts!!!!
I read almost all the comments. Lots of fun ideas! I have another idea – maybe you could hot glue four whole peppermints on the bottom of the tray. This would give less contact with the counter/table and maybe keep it dryer as it would have air circulation all the way around. You could even put little felt rounds under the four peppermints and there would be nothing sticky touching the table.
I found this on Pinterest. I’m so glad I did!!
Just found the post and love it! Totally making this in both peppermint and jolly rancher versions.
I was thinking you could cut dowels or chopsticks to length and wrapping them in parchment paper to create forms so the trays come out more squared off. Just like you would do when pouring concrete.
I wonder has anyone tried to do it with cookie cutters? These would be adorable in shapes for Halloween or Thanksgiving. You could use them as under plates for place cards on the table! Oh no, these may be a new obsession!
I would just about bet that if you were to shellac the top layer several times and then use a permanent adhesive to attach it to a thin layer of cork (like a coaster) that you could use it all season at least. You would have to just wipe the surface with a damp towel but I bet I give it a try.
I love this going to make it with my granddaughter thanks
LOVE this!!! and I met Hosea a few weeks ago at a wine dinner and he and the food were both incredible!
That is great you were able to meet him! Isn’t he great?
HI, I was wondering would life savers work also? Like to get different colors,etc.
Hey guys- I am a professional baker and I’ve done with this project before at work and I can tell you a couple things. It’s a fun one but it takes some patience.
The humidity where you are is going to effect this a LOT. If you are in a humid area it is going to be much more sticky and difficult to get the candy to do what you want. Sugar in even slightly humid conditions can be a pain.
Also, different brands of peppermints are going to melt in different ways. All christmas red peppermints are not created equally so you’ll need to play around.
I recommend parchment and not wax paper for this as they are different products used for different purposes.
I don’t ever recommend sealing this and saving it. You can use it for more than one party in a season maybe, but don’t save it year round. It’s sugar and corn syrup. Shallac or varnish or Modge Podge is not going to protect sugars from breaking down like they naturally will over time. It’s still sugar, even if it is coated.
As far as other candies, hard candies like Jolly Ranchers are going to be a better option than Life Savers.
Just my experience of doing this. 🙂 It can be a lot of fun. You might break some though, so don’t get too frustrated.
Thanks for the tips, Kate!!! We really appreciate your insights! Thanks for stopping by our blog 🙂
For those whose trays did not turn out successfully (runny edges,etc.)–I’m wondering if maybe you’ve got to use “good” peppermints (Brach’s Starlight Mints) vs. the more inexpensive kind. I think the trick might be more peppermint oil vs. sugar/fillers. ?? Just a guess.
Too, too cute!
Do the mints flavor spread? What I mean is if I put chocolate chips cookies on this plate with they be mint chocolate chip by the end of the night? Super cute idea!
Wow, this is such a wonderful and creative idea!!! Really beautiful!
I would definately try this! But I would love to know if someone found a sealant to put on it so you could wash them and maybe make them stronger! Any suggestions?……
Sometimes around Christmas they have chocolate mint peppermints (brown/green) and I bet that would be super cute with brownies on it! Also, there is a company (I think it might be Brach’s, but I’m not sure) that makes peppermint type candies in lots of different flavors and colors like purple, yellow, orange, etc but they are the same consistency as original peppermints. Cannot wait to try this!
I suggest you don’t use the wax paper because the smoke in your oven is coming from the burning of the wax on the paper, parchment would be better and I am thinking of putting a thinnnnnn layer of coconut oil on the paper before I put the candies down on it. Then I was thinking of using molds to make shapes like xmas trees etc. to see how that would do. Great blog!!
Great idea! One question- is the tray sticky after baking?
After reading all the comments on making these candy trays/bowls, I have really only one observation…for all of you who keep asking the same questions that have already been answered several times…you are not ready to use an oven, since you obviously can’t read any directions and retain the information.
Wow Pat thats pretty harsh, Im sure people are not reading every one of the comments posted. There are quite a few.
hey i did this today and i was wondering how you got the wax paper off the mints? for me the wax paper stuck to the mints and it was impossible to get off. any suggestions?
Hi Keri – The wax paper stuck most of the time for me as well. To be honest, I actually prefer it to be on stuck the bottom because it allows you to carry the tray around without getting sticky hands! Did you try parchment paper? Our readers have suggested that parchment paper works better than wax paper, and it doesn’t get smoky in the oven! Good luck!!
I love this!!!! I made my first one and my thumb got in the way , so I have 1st and 2nd degree burns!!!! Candy is HOT!!! LOL I tried to make the candy bowl, wasn’t paying attention. Hospital visit done. Got home and tried AGAIN!!!! Second one not good. The third one is cute!!! Just Be careful!!!
Oh no, Wendy! I’m so sorry to hear that! Be careful!
What about doing a double layer? Do you think it wouldn’t break so easily if it was thicker?
Make them into bowls!
First make a round larger than the (oven-safe) bowl you want to copy) After they set place ontop of an upside down oven safe (again use parchment)bowl and let the heat make the platter droop over the bowl. remove and allow to cool.
Alternatively i suppose you could lift the warm candy up by the sheet and place it over the bowl but i’m afraid the cool bowl could crack the candy thus the double heating.
So cool gonna try.
Is it edible??? Would be so cute as gift— eat the treats, then the tray! 🙂
Have u tried this with other candies such as jolly ranchers? I would love to see these used for other holidays.
hi april! yes we have 🙂 check it out! http://tuttobellablog.com/2012/03/06/taste-the-rainbow/
Love it! I am so excited to try it
What a great gift idea also! I plan on making a few smaller ones to give holiday cookies on instead of plates.
I made those years ago, except you melt rock candy, the hard Chrismas candy with colored centers. They were always last to be eaten. Anyway you melt them same way, cool picture on each, and they will disappear!
OMG Karen!! I never thought of using those!! I have some, wax paper (ill just leave it for strength), oven, and plastc wrap! Yay!! So excited!!! 🙂 is there any way i can make it now and have it keep until Christmas??
Tried this today but the candy stuck on the wax paper..when do you remove the paper?
That’s amazing. It looks just like a serving platter. I’m guessing it’s edible too? 😀 I usually serve using these candy dishes but maybe i’ll try that..
Tried the peppermint tray tonight. Turned out great. Used parchment paper sprayed with pam. No problems. Second time i used assorted colors. Swirled with toothpick once it came out of oven. Waited about two minutes and then draped over bowls and shaped. Looks good and think i can get better with practice. The colors made a pretty fall dish. Used dollar stre candy so only a buck apiece. 🙂
I love this idea! It sounds super easy too. I like both the ideas of putting sealing on it, or using it and then eating it. I bake a lot over the Christmas season, and end up giving a lot of it away. Handing over a bunch of cookies on a candy plate would just be too fun! I can’t wait to try this.
Wont it break easily?
NICE!!! Im going to try this. Thank you
These would make a great foundation for a gingerbread house!
Have you tried using foil instead of wax or parchment paper? I would think that it would look really pretty if you used a clear candy.
Since these are thin could you stackem 2. High before putting them in the oven so they would be thicker??
There is a question I have yet to see asked, and that is if you are not using it as a one time deal, how do you clean it? I assume if it gets wet it gets sticky.
I wonder if you could make a small bowl out of it to use for giving as a basket. How would you do that?
A few questions: Is this edible? What about bugs after it’s sitting? Do you wash it? How do you store it?
Thanks. Jeannette
Hi there! I loved this so much that I featured it in my “100 Jolly Christmas Crafts & Decorations”! Have a great day! http://www.aspectacledowl.com/100-christmas-crafts-decorations/
Just found this great craft on pinterest! I have been reading the comments about sealing. For those worried about it, I have googled food safe sealants and so far the only thing I found is that no sealant is food safe unless fired, soooo…some suggestions were, use it as a charger under plates, as some had said before use a good cling wrap on it so it isn’t so noticeable, or just use it to give wrapped treats etc and lastly, use a dollar store or thrift shop clear glass plate on top of it. I think I will make these for Christmas brunch and use them as chargers to go under our fancy paper like plates, and also place clear glass serving plates on top of them at the dessert bar! This is such a fun idea!!! (Note, I will be using my polyeurathane (sp) spray on mine, as I won’t serve food directly on them) Thanks again for the great post!
doesn’t the wax from the wax paper transfer on to the candies. That is probably why they say to use parchment paper.
Are the trays sticky???
Are the trays sticky after they’re baked???
Is it sticky if it gets wet??
Am I the only one having problems with bubbles? Is there anyway to avoid them or fix them after the fact?
Another poster said they used a toothpick to pop the bubbles.
I had a tub of Soft Pepperminet “Puffs” from Costco so thought I would try them and see what they would do. These Do Not work. Just some FYI.
Hi Jodi – I love this idea, going to try it this Christmas. Would an egg wash work as a sealant?
Thank you – Colleen
Raw egg would NOT be a good idea.
You all need a Sil Pat and Flexipans by Demarle at Home! GEESH!
Can u wash them?
Does anyone READ the comments before commenting?
I don’t think people are reading the comments. Kinda frustrating isn’t it?
Absolutely amazing idea! What a creative How To and such potential for so many projects. Thanks for sharing!
I just finished some experimentation with these 🙂 I was not satisfied with the free form in a cookie sheet. It was too uneven for me (OCD, anyone?). So i tried again with a square baking dish with parchment paper lining the bottom. That turned out perfect! I did get some air bubbles so I am going to try to fill them in with something white and then put a glaze over it. I have found both of my attempts to be sticky (another reason gor the glaze). So I will just put sime cling wrap around it when i use it for food!
What keeps it from being sticky
I made this yesterday. It took 15 minutes for the mints to melt. Turned out nice. Going to make as gifts this year.
I wonder if candy corn would work for a fall tray? Has anyone tired this?
Just made the tray and it worked beautifully…had one thought though to set it on the counter as I set it out til I need it in a couple of weeks…will it attract bugs due to all of the sugar?
I’m trying to make the square tray but the mints are moving wayyyyy out of shape, resulting in a blob. Thoughts? Thanks!
I have made this and it comes out perfectly! now i am making a big one to be a base for my gingerbread village.. I can’t wait it will be so cute and perfect to take to holiday gatherings..
I just took mine out of the oven and it looks fantastic. I used my silpat sheet under mine and I don’t believe I will have any troubles NOTHING sticks to it. Another tip, when mine came out of the oven some of the edge pieces were a little thinner than the others and made my design mishapen so I hurried up and used one of my rulers from my quilting roller cutters and sprayed it with cooking spray and formed it back up. Worked like a dream. A few did have some air bubbles so I hurried up and popped them with a toothpick and they filled back in nicely. Love it. Going to make some more. These are meant for a one time use in my opinion. Not meant for washing and reusing as some others commented. I will use mine for a dinner as center pieces and then will throw away (only invested $1 worth of candy). Think I will keep mine in an airtight container until I am ready to use them. They should be fine. I would think….he the humidity out is key!!
Thanks for the idea.
Are these a one year thing? Or can the be stored and used over and over again?
So I tried this. I remember my grandmother had the coolest candy candy dish, I would love to have something like it. Well, fist attempt while not a complete failure did not live up to expectations. My candy may have melted too much. After baking and cooling just a minute or two. I draped over a small bowl with more wax paper formed it as it cooled. End result, a bowl but the starlites have lost their spiral and I’m not sure the wax paper will ever come off. LOL. Much fun, I have more candy will try again.
I’m thinking about doing these as inexpensive and cute teachers’ gifts this Christmas. Just did my “prototype,” and I see that it’ll probably take another test run or two before I get the right result. My first run ended up being extremely thin on the outside edges, so much to the point that the mints were running and loosing their “swirls.” It was gorgeous on the interior part though. Also, I used wax paper, and it really stuck to the wax paper. Mine were in the oven at 350 for only about 5 minutes when they started smoking and I had to pull them out. I’m thinking about maybe trying a lower temp next time to see if that helps. Has anyone else had any problems like that?
Is there any way to seal these so they aren’t sticky when you handle them?
i’m sorry if this has been asked already, but could it be frozen until needed? i was thinking about making it tomorrow, but not using until next week.
1. I haven’t seen anyone suggest using non-stick foil instead of wax paper or parchment paper.
2. You can get cardboard cake trays from the party store. Might be a good way to display your candy tray.
3. Just make a border of non-stick foil to keep your edges from spreading. You can shape it any way you want. Fold it over a few times to make it thick so it won’t flop.
This is my first attempt and since I have no parchment paper, I used aluminum foil. Worked like a charm! I sprayed it with Pam first and once it cooled, the tray slid right off. The edges did run (and there was no way I was pulling the pan out perfectly level), but I quickly used an icing spreader to score the excess and break it off. Next time I’d like to manipulate the sides some as it cools to make more of a dish than a flat tray. I plan on putting chocolate mint chocolate covered pretzels on it and then doing away with the tray – one time use. I think it would be too brittle to use again. Or maybe I’ll convince my guests to break it and eat it. I live in Central Florida and I’m pretty certain with our humidity that it will be sticky, but maybe set it on a pretty paper doile and that won’t be a problem.
Could you use a macaroni circle of some kind to make a hole and make ornaments for the tree?
Mine came out a little rough, took a wet sponge to smooth out the edges. This worked really well for rounding the corners too. Just make sure that the sponge is damp and clean, of coarse.
Jodi you are the essence of peppermint.
Love this idea….saw it today and ran out and got bags of mints. I would love to see how the bowl version turned out if anyone can post pictures.
I’d imagine you could make peppermint shot glasses as well if they were draped over a shot glass to cool? Wouldn’t be a standard shot measurement, but for fun it could be a neat flavor infusion with an edible glass..
This looks SO fun! I would like to make them for my friends at work. Could I get the instructions sent to my email. I must not have the font you use on your blog. I can’t see any ingredients, instructions or comments from any followers. Thanks!
This is Such a cute idea! We shared this on our facebook page with a link back to your Blog 🙂
Thanks for Sharing! I will be trying this in a few weeks! http://www.facebook.com/ChorePad
Thanks Tharesa. Looks great and glad you like it!
Are the trays sticky? Just wondering if we use them as treat trays for gifts, will they stick to cellophane wrap?
Omigosh! I love how easy this melted mint project is. The hardest part is unwrapping all the mints. Thanks for such a great idea!!
your welcome. so happy you like it. gotta love those easy projects. have a happy holiday season.
you’re welcome. so happy you like it. gotta love those easy projects. have a happy holiday season.
I’m making one as I type!!! Thanks for the idea!!! Love love love it
yay. hope it turns out. happy holidays! thanks for stopping by.
these are fun to make and kids love to be creative – we have made these in the past and you can’t make a mistake!
How long does the tray last
This is a great idea. I’m going to try this.
I remember seeing a basket with a handle made out of twisted peppermint rope, very cute. For those of you that want different colors I have a recipe for Glass Candy that should work. It comes out clear, but I don’t remember how thick it is, maybe pouring it in a complete form. Someone gave this to me years ago, so, I’m not sure exactly where it came from.
Glass Candy
2 cups Sugar
3/4 cups White Corn Syrup
1 cup water
Boil until it reaches a hard crack. Remove from heat and add 1 gram candy oil & food coloring. Pour onto pan lined with parchment paper.
It cools very quickly.
For candies: put powdered sugar on pan before pouring. Cut or break into pieces. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to prevent sticking together.
This is a cute idea and I will be making a few! I read all of the comments (whew!) and had most of my questions answered, however, I do have a comment to make. I can’t remember which comment it was but she mentioned about not keeping the trays from year to year because of the sugar in the candy breaking down. That is true and I would think it would also attract some ants,maybe? Sealing it with a sealant or the like, isn’t going to protect the food you place on it and it’s not going to stop the sugar from breaking down. I love the idea of keeping the parchment paper on the back to help with the stickiness and for added protection BUT I loved the cork idea more, even if I only use them for the season. Such a great idea with so many possibilities!
AMAZING!! And just think – when these candies go on sale after Christmas this year – stock up for next years projects 🙂
I LOVE this! Won’t the food you put on it pick up the mint taste? Should I just use it for minty cookies& candies?
they may get a slight peppermint flavor, so sometimes we put a glass plate on top of the peppermint tray with edible food, or we use as coasters for glasses, or even glass votives. good luck!
I keep wondering why no one ( that I saw) suggested using a sillacone baking mat to put the candies on, Surely they would not stick to them.
Is this not sticky?
Has anyone tried using these as trivets to rest hot dishes on? Did it work or does it start to melt the mints again? Thanks
I’m guessing it’s not dishwasher safe . . . hehe.
Is there any way to preserve the tray?
How do u keep the edges even?
This may have already been shared (too many comments to read them all), but I made these with my students using metal Christmas cookie cutters. Lay the mints inside and they will melt into the shape of the cookie cutter. As soon as you take them out of the oven, use a straw to poke a hole for hanging. Easy craft idea for fifth graders!
I made one, it was sticky and after it cooled, it cracked into 3 pieces while sitting on the table.
Can you do this with jollyranchers?
My peppermint plate was a major fail so FYI, DON’T use cheap mints from the dollar store. All the red mints melted and the green ones were rock hard for some bizarre reason.
I used the cheap dollar store mints and they were fine (except for the rock hard green ones-bad batch?). I found that if I took them out just after they really started melting they would continue to melt a little bit. So I took them out just before they were as melted as I wanted or they ended up to melty (I think I just made up a word). I kind of canned the project because it was just too sticky to really do anything with it. I tried to make ornaments and spray a few coats of spray gloss on them but they just didn’t turn out great. Really cute idea but I don’t think it actually works as intended.
It’s a little sticky how do you fix that.
My attempt at this didn’t turn out as pretty as your trays. Maybe I used “cheap” candy. But it didn’t melt evenly and turned into a shapeless blobs. :/ but it was fun to try!
so very clever and how about the patriotic starlights for the 4th!
I was just wondering if the trays are sticky or if food gets stuck to them?
I just tried this and it was a complete disaster. I let it cook for 5 minutes and went to shape it and it went into pieces, put it back in the oven to melt again and took out and tried to work with it earlier, but it was way too hot. Lots of bubbles too. I don’t know why I can’t make this work. UGH. It looks so beautiful on the website and seemed so easy. I thought even I could do it.
sorry it was a disaster carrie. what temperature did you set it at? was it melted enough when you took it out the first time? it may take some playing around with. if you try it again, i hope it works for you. happy holidays!
love this idea
I just made this tray tonight and it’s adorable! I used one 16 oz. bag of peppermints and it made what I would consider a medium sized tray. I baked at 350 and it took me 17 minutes to completely melt all the candies. I also put my mints on parchment paper rather than the wax paper– my melted peppermints (when completely cooled and hardened) didn’t stick to the paper at all!! I plan on putting Christmas cookies on the platter for a party tomorrow– I can’t wait to see how cute it looks 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
Mimi my grandma and her Friend Ruth B. di this ages ago inthe 50s and 70s and up to the 90s for us it was nice oh the memories.
Is the wax paper suppose to stick to the bottom of the tray? Mine did. How can you use this tray over and over?
Hello Jodi,
I want to thank you first for a great post, and that my 9 year old son and i had a blast making these this morning. I made some ornaments using cookie cutters and poking a whole in them while they were cooling. we also made a bowl out of them and it came out great….filled it with the left over wrapped mints and giving it as a gift. we will definetly keep this in our Christmas fun stuff and use again. Wanted to post a pic of the bowl and the ornaments but cant see where i can do that here. Well Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Seasons Greetings to you and yours dear and keep up the great blogging. Charlotte
I did read a lot of post that mentioned the parchment paper sticking to the candies, which turned out great with the bowl because the inside of the bowl had the paper and that way you don’t have to worry about things sticking to the inside. we did try several different things to get this far and found that doing it on aluminum foil with a little spray pam worked good but made it harder to get it off the cookie sheet, so then we used a second sheet of aluminum foil loose like you would the parchment paper. Again thanks
you can see all the pics i took on my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403653419714586.95886.193022564111007&type=1&l=dfe42cf8e1
Will this tray bring bugs
So I have lots of troubleshooting fixes from my experiment tonight. Hope they help.
1) foil works great. I used Pam at first, and then kept forgetting. Sill worked. So did my slip at, but it made the bottom rough, while the foil kept it smooth.
2) for the round things, I used the rim of a tart pan. This worked well.
3) because the edges seemed to melt faster, I counted out the number of mints I needed for the edges and removed them. I then baked the interior mints for 4 minutes. Then I took that it of the oven and put the border around. Popped it back in for 4- 5 minutes, and it was great!
4) very little happens in the first 7 minutes, but don’t let that fool you. Everything seems to melt quickly in the last minute.
5) for my rectangular shape, I did the border just like I said above, but it still wasn’t straight bc of the shape of the mints. For this, I just took a bench scraper and pushed the edges in, making them straight. Then I glued four glass beads onto the bottom so the tray sat up.
6)my oven is a bit uneven, so rotating the tray a few times seemed to help.
7) I didn’t end up making any round trays bc I found the bowls much cooler. I let the mints cool for two minutes, and then draped them over a bowl, foil side down. Wait until longer than you would want to to remove the foil. I was a bit harsh with is and cracked one of the bowls.
8)if you crack anything, you can stick it back in the oven for a minute or so.
Good luck!
I have some clear glass trays (that are flat) that are a bit larger than my pizza pan. Pizza pan has sides up about an inch. Thinking of making in pizza pan and putting on clear glass tray. That would help with the cracking so easy and possible getting sticky from being handled. .
Can you spray it with a shellac of sorts to make it ?
I am thinking about doing this for a Christmas Present! Do I use anything to seal it so it can last awhile?
Everything came out great except for one thing, it was just a bit sticky, if anyone else has this problem and doesn’t mind loosing the glossiness of the bowl/plate, I suggest that you rub some powdered sugar all over it after it cools, it takes away all of the stickiness! 🙂
Any tips on how to keep them from breaking?? We made 2 today and they both broke almost immediately after cooling. They just cracked up the middle with barely any movement. They had already cooled so that wasn’t the issue and they weren’t oversized. Help????
This turned out horrible. It bubbled and leaked all over the oven. What a mess. The colors melted together and are ugly. Maybe I baked too long. But as much work as it was to unwrap each candy, there’s no chance ill try again for a better outcome.
I’d really love to make a couple of these as gifts but want to make sure they last for a few years. I recently started experimenting with clear cast resin and started thinking after I saw this…..”Hmmmm, I wonder. If I were to buy a glass plate at Goodwill, then make a tray with the starlight mints the same size as the plate, then glue the starlight tray onto the glass plate and seal it in with the clear cast resin would it work?” What are your thoughts? I’d really love some input before I attempt it.
Thanks for your question and interest in this fun project. Unfortunately these are very fragile, so I doubt they would last several years. And, I don’t think it would melt the exact same shape as plate – it may be more flat or round than the plate, and it’s not flexible, unless you can mold it when still warm. Good luck!
ran out of starrlight mints before I got the desired size, remembered some werther’s i had laying around and thought cool a golden edge. would be helpful to know how many mints equals what size tray. also is it necessary for the mints to be touching in order for them to melt together? it is in the oven now, hope it works 🙂
Can you make it so it’s not quite flat? So if you have round things to put on it it won’t roll off. Like a plate.
Do you know if there is a food safe sealer for the candy trays?
I really like the idea of this it’s really cute
How far ahead of Christmas can you make these ? I’d like to get started early this year?
Hi JoAllen,
I would assume you can make them a couple months in advance, but unfortunately we don’t know the answer, as we always make them in the month of December. Good luck.
It doesn’t feel sticky at all????
I have tried and they are sticky,what am I doing wrong? I lie in South Carolina. PleASE HELP, I WANT ONE TO TURN OUT USEABLE SO BAD.
Thanks for trying! Sorry its not working out JoAllen. We don’t live in a place with humidity, so we are not sure how to help you. Perhaps looking through the comments will help? Thanks again and good luck.