Introduction: Brain Candy

When hungry zombies come after you, feed them these yummy candy brains and keep your own brain safe!

Step 1: Ingredients and Supplies

What you will need:
Pink candy melts, available at Michaels craft store
Brain candy mold, available at confectioneryhouse.com
Microwave
Pyrex or other microwave-safe bowl

Optional fillings:
Caramels
mini-marshmmallows
nuts
crisped rice cereal (I use this mini crispy rice cereal)



Step 2: Melt the Candy Coating

Put about half a cup of the pink candy melts in a small pyrex bowl.
Microwave it for about 1 minute at a LOW power setting. (I use 30% power)
Take it out and stir.
Put it back in the microwave and microwave for another minute, again at LOW power setting.
Take it out and stir.
It should be mostly or completely melted now, but you can microwave it for another minute if yours is not fully melted.

You can also melt the candy in the top section of a double boiler, over hot water.

DO NOT microwave at full power or you will scorch the candy and it will seize up.
DO NOT melt candy  on stovetop on direct heat. It will burn very quickly.

Step 3: Filling the Candy Mold

With a spoon, fill the brains in the candy mold about half full of the melted pink candy coating.
Use the spoon to spread the candy coating inside the mold, leaving a hollow area in the center.
Make sure to coat the sides of the brains at an even thickness.
Now put the candy mold in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the candy harden.

Step 4: Prepare the Fillings

While the brains are chilling in the fridge, you can prepare some fillings.
Unwrap a few caramels and cut them into four quarters with a sharp knife.
The caramel chunks will now be about the same size as your mini-marshmallows. (if you are using them)
You can also chop some nuts, or use them whole.
I always think pecans look like little brains anyway, so I used pecan halves in my brain candy.

Step 5: Add the Fillings

Remove the candy mold from the refrigerator.
The pink candy coating will now be hardened.
Fill the hollow center of the brains with a mini-marshmallow, or a pecan half, or a caramel chunk.
You can squish the caramel and marshmallow down to fit into the rounded hollow.
Layering caramel with marshmallow is very tasty.

Step 6: Cover the Bottom

By now your candy coating that is left in your bowl might be hardened up.
Re-melt it as you did in step 2, and add a few more candy melts if needed.
Once it is melted, I added some mini-crisped rice cereal to make my brains crunchy!
A good combination is crisped rice and a caramel nugget.
(regular size Rice Crispies cereal can also be used, but probably not in combination with other fillings because it is too big)
Stir the cereal into the melted candy coating.
Then use your spoon to fill in the rest of the candy molds, pressing down around the edges to make sure you fill in all the nooks and crannies.
You don't want any big air pockets in your brain. No one likes an airhead!

Now put the mold back in the refrigerator to harden again.

Step 7: Unmold and Trim

When the candy has hardened, remove the mold from the refrigerator.
Turn mold upside down and tap gently on the brains.
The candies should pop out easily.

Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the brains to clean up any excess coating.

Your brain candy is now ready to serve to hungry zombies!

Tips:
If you are ordering the candy molds, buy more than one. I only have one mold which means I can only make 9 brains at a time, then I have to re-melt my coating, make 9 more, etc.
It would be a lot easier to have 3 or 4 molds and make a bunch of brains at once!

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