Chocolate Mice and Finals

It is officially the season of finals, a slightly problematic fact since it is also the season of cookie and candy making. Luckily, Chocolate Mice are able to balance the artistic needs of us college candy makers in a time of studying.

Years ago, my teacher was given chocolate mice as a present, and I thought, and still do think, that they are some of the cutest and simplest candies possible. The best part about chocolate mice is that they can be made in different steps, leaving time for finals prepping while different parts harden and cool.

To make chocolate mice you will need:

• a 16 oz jar of Maraschino cherries with stems. 16 oz jars hold 40ish cherries and some always have their stems removed. Sadly, to be stemless means that the cherry is useless for this project and must be eaten directly.
• a 8.5 oz bag of Hershey's Kisses. this holds just a few more Kisses than there are cherries
• about 6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate
• slivered almonds
• butter to prevent sticking
  

First, take out the Maraschino cherries and pat them dry on a cloth or paper towel. You want them to retain some liquid but not be dripping. If they are covered in liquid when dipped in chocolate, then the chocolate will slide right off thanks to hydrophobic/hydrophilic molecular interactions (aka chocolate does not stick to water).

Next, microwave the chocolate in your microwavable bowl on high for 30 seconds; take it out and stir. Repeat this step two more times, until the chocolate if smooth, liquid, and glistens. Dip the cherries in one at time, making sure that the fruit but not the stem is completely covered with chocolate. Set the dipped cherry on a buttered plate of tray with the stem at about a 45 deg. angle from the tray. These will be the mice's bodies and tails.

While those cool, you can either go study or make the heads. To make heads unwrap the Hershey Kisses. Then pour out some of your sliced almonds and look for pairs of longer, unbroken pieces. These are your ears. Attach the ears by applying a little bit of melted chocolate (remelt chocolate if needed) to the bottom of each ear and lightly pressing it to the back of the Kiss. Mouse heads! wow, that actually sounds awful...

To attach the heads to the bodies, apply a dab of melted chocolate to the back of each head and lightly press it to the side of the body opposite the tail. Let the chocolate harden and you have your very own chocolate mice! I hate to say it (they're so cute), but omnom!

P.S. if you have a bunch of left over almond slivers, fear not, I am working to find a way of making almond cookies.

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!