“Don’t play with your food”, my mother used to say!
“But WHY?” (should have been my middle name lol) “Just DON’T! OK?”

When I was little, I was “notorious” for wanting to create or build things with my food; much to the UNAMUSEMENT of my parents at the breakfast table. I would “try” and make a building block tower with my pieces of toast. While most people are happy to just “eat” their food, in my mind, I imagined that one day when I was older I would be a food architect or engineer. My dad was more amused than mum when I “challenged” him to pull a piece of toast (that I had cut into batons for my tower) and not knock down my tower. Needless to say, all my mum had to do was give me “THE LOOK” (you know that dreaded “mum” look! lol) and I knew my built creation would have to be eaten and my architectural plans would have to wait until another day!

So of course, anyone with a child-like food view of the world, would want to know more! So I obtained these Peppermints also called Rainbow Swirls here in Australia, WHAT else can I do with them…mmm isn’t THAT what a “curious” mind is for?

When I saw DIY candy trays, coaster, photo frames online etc, I “knew” (and guess you are getting to know me by now) these fluted bowls just had to be “on the list too!

Where to get started? In Adelaide’s LARGEST range of confectionary, drinks from the United States, The U.K, New Zealand and assorted Blackeby’s products shop! Blackeby’s stores are located in Adelaide Central Business District, Adelaide Central Markets, Hallett Cove Shopping Centre, Brickworks Markets and Tea Tree Plaza Shopping Centre.
I had the “pleasure” of dealing with Elizabeth of the Tea Tree Plaza Store who was very professional, very knowledgeable about Blackeby’s products, and was made to feel like a “warm and welcomed” kid walking into a candy store adventure!
http://www.blackebysweets.com.au/
With multi-colour Rainbow Swirls galore, I FINALLY (and playfully lol) made it out the door!;-)

The recipe is pretty simple.

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper. (see Hint and Tip #1 )
2. Place Rainbow Swirls to the line surrounding the circle and fill in (at various spaces — not touching). (See Hint and Tip #2)
3. Pre-heat oven to 170C (~340F) and bake for 8 minutes. NOTE: Original recipe calls for 350F. I found by lowering the heat 10 degrees C, the peppermints all melted in 8 minutes consistently.
4. Remove from oven when all candies have melted. Be mindful of the time and do not overdo as you too will experience Chrystal of Mrs Happy Homemaker’s Ooops moment. (See link below) Lift the baking paper off the tray and place it over your desired bowl. NOTE: the mixture is very hot and initially is very flexible; easily bent. (See Hint and Tip #3)

HINT and TIPS:
1. With a pencil, draw a circle on the baking paper (I used a dinner plate initially) to the size desired for your bowl.
2. Make sure your Peppermints are not initially touching and try to get them all about the same distance apart.
3. I used various size bowls; inverted large fluted bowl and gently pulled the baking paper to form 4 corners (for the shape desired affect). A large ramekin bowl I inverted over a dinner plate as well as a smaller depth ramekin dish over a dinner plate too. I would NOT use a “large bowl” where the mixture will have room to flow downwards for a longer distance. Hope this helps!
4. Repeat after me “I CAN easily now make these Kid in a Candy Store DIY Fluted Bowls too!” ENJOY! Would make great handmade presents too!
5.I let the bowls cool down for about 15 minutes before gently pulling the baking paper away. I found by ripping the baking paper at various intervals and GENTLY pulling down in strips helped to remove the paper easier.



Thank you to the following blog posts for inspiring my creations:

http://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/2011/12/peppermint-candy-trays-and-fluted-bowls-too/
—Your Ooops! moment and photo was particularly helpful! I watched my creations in the oven “like a hawk!”
http://dollarstoremom.com/2011/12/make-an-edible-candy-bowl/
—Your bowl photo was “particularly” helpful and made some modifications based on this too!
http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/13280-how-to-make-a-candy-bowl-out-of-candy
—I found your blog first with photos and references, so was very instrumental in the initial research process too!
—Thank you Dave J for your Blackeby’s photo and review
http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/blackebys-old-sweet-shop-stepney#hrid:GeCzfWCRPaauNq6W_a34OQ/src:self

If you could be any confectionery product, what would you be?

I HOPE (based on my WONDERFULLY playful experience) of this recipe “off the list”, I can “inspire” you to do and ENJOY too!
WHOO HOO!