Spring Desert for the kids to make

This is from The Art of Dessert

http://go.tipjunkie.com/ea/216/artofdessert.blogspot.com/2010/03/birds-nest-cookies.html/

It looks like a fun and tasty project to do with your children!  Enjoy!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Bird's Nest Cookies

When I was a little girl, I bought my very first cookbook at a book fair. I remember how excited I was when I got home from school. I couldn't wait to try out one of the recipes and proudly declare to my parents that I can cook. The funny thing was most of the recipes in the cookbook didn't require any actual cooking or baking. After all, it was a kids' cookbook. Nevertheless, I was still excited to try out a recipe. As I was thumbing through the pages, I saw a picture of these adorable little bird's nest cookies and was completely enamored by them. Who knew several years later I would be inspired to make these cookies again.



I'm sad to say that I've lost my cookbook a long time ago, but I still remember how to make these quick and easy birds' nest cookies. You only need three ingredients: chow mein noodles, butterscotch morsels and mini egg-shaped candies. The original recipe actually called for semi-sweet chocolate chips but I thought the butterscotch morsels gave the nests a more realistic appearance.

The first time I made them, I used egg-shaped jelly beans and they turned out looking so cute and colorful.





The second time I made them, I decided to use Cadbury Mini Eggs and they were amazing. The eggs looked so realistic and the combination of milk chocolate eggs with the butterscotch nests tasted a lot better than the jelly beans.



These cookies were so much fun to make and it was such a delight to share them with friends and family. This would also be a great activity to do with kids.

Bird's Nest Cookies
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Allergy note: contains dairy and wheat ingredients

12 oz. package chow mein noodles
12 oz. package butterscotch morsels
90 egg-shaped candies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Pour the butterscotch morsels in a microwave-safe bowl and place them in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds then remove to stir. Return to the microwave and heat again for 30 seconds. Stir until melted. Add in the chow mein noodles and mix till combined. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to portion out the cookies onto the baking sheet. If the mixture starts to solidify in the mixing bowl, you can reheat for 15 to 30 seconds to melt. Place three egg-shaped candies in the center of each cookie. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving or transferring.

UPDATE (3/30/10): I just made another batch of these bird's nest cookies using a different brand of butterscotch morsels and they seem to be a bit drier. If you experience this same issue, you can add a little bit more melted butterscotch morsels. I've also noticed that the Cadbury mini eggs aren't attaching as well as the jelly bean eggs, so to fix that problem, I dipped the bottom of the eggs with melted butterscotch morsels before placing them on top.