Briarcliff's Inspired Chef Has Visions Of Dreidels Spinning in Her Head

BRIARCLIFF, N.Y. -- I had just turned off the lights and was getting comfortable in bed last night when I heard my phone buzzing. Don’t ask me why I picked it up and looked at my emails but I did. And there was a message from my girlfriend Roberta asking me if I had made the chocolate dreidels for her yet and when could I bring them over to her house? Chocolate dreidels? Needed by tomorrow? What was The Inspired Chef doing when she agreed to that proposition – partying with the mayor of Toronto? So, of course I couldn’t go to sleep. When I did doze off, instead of visions of sugarplums dancing in my head I had nightmares about spinning dreidels. When my alarm went off at 7 a.m. this morning, I dragged myself out of bed and decided to wipe those darn dreidels off my growing to-do list.

Edible dreidels will be sold at The Ossining Children's Center this weekend.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

by Laura Mogil

11/22/2013 5:00 a.m.

While my coffee was percolating, I started reading the recipe that I had found on the Martha Stewart website and was planning to adapt (FYI, my husband affectionately calls me Martha Stewart on Crack!). Prying my eyes open, I accounted for all the needed ingredients: a bag of marshmallows, chocolate kisses, microwaveable milk chocolate wafers, and thin wooden barbecue skewers. The trick is to melt the chocolate wafers to a velvety consistency. Once I did this, I dipped the flat bottom of the chocolate kiss into the melted milk chocolate. This serves as the glue that adheres the kiss to the bottom of the marshmallows.

While I let my creations cool in the fridge for 10 minutes, I took my kitchen scissors and cut the wooden barbecue skewers into 3-inch sticks. I then inserted these into the tops of the cooled marshmallow/chocolate kiss combos, allowing me to hold onto the sticks while I dipped the dreidels into the re-melted milk chocolate. After I had covered my dreidels in chocolate, I set them down on a baking tray covered in wax paper and proceeded to decorate them with assorted blue and white sprinkles. If you want to see these edible dreidels in person, hop on over to the Festive Holiday Stroll, sponsored by the Ossining Children’s Center this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22 and 23. (Tickets available at Holbrook Cottage in Briarcliff). They’re on display in my friend Roberta’s house. Otherwise, here’s the recipe:

Marshmallow Chocolate Kiss Dreidels 12 marshmallows 12 chocolate kisses 8 ounces Chocomaker Simply Melt Milk Chocolate, or similar brand Thin wooden barbeque skewers, but into 12 3-inch sticks Sprinkles 1. Dip flat bottom of chocolate kiss in melted milk chocolate. Press onto bottom of marshmallow. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat to make all 12 dreidels, then refrigerate for 10 minutes. 2. Cut the wooden skewers into 3-inch-long sticks and insert into the marshmallow tops. Dip dreidels into remelted chocolate and return to baking sheet. Decorate with sprinkles. 3. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Laura Joseph Mogil is a freelance writer and publicist residing in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. You can read her blog at www.theinspiredchef.blogspot.com

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