Botch these easy treats? Not a ghost of a chance

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 22, 2008 by Associated Press

If you can flatten dough with a rolling pin, you can make these spooky ghost treats. It's as easy as rolling out purchased fondant (a type of cake icing that looks and feels like clay) and draping it over marshmallows.

There's also plenty of room for creativity. Fondant, which is widely available at craft and baking shops, can be purchased in different colors and flavors or tinted with food coloring (knead the coloring into the fondant a drop at a time).

Give the ghosts personality by creating faces using small candies pressed into the fondant. Or use decorating gel (the tubes sold at the grocer will work fine) to draw them. Pretzels, licorice and other small items can be used for adding arms and feet.

This project is ideal for young children, as precision isn't necessary and all the ingredients are edible right out of the package.

Fondant will dry and harden, so cover unused portions with plastic while making the ghosts. The ghosts can be left to air dry, then used as decorations. If you plan to eat the ghosts, do so within a few hours of making (the taste of fondant doesn't improve with age).

FONDANT GHOSTS

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Makes 1 ghost

Cornstarch

1- to 2-inch chunk white fondant

1 large marshmallow

Black decorating gel

Lightly dust the counter and your hands with cornstarch to prevent the fondant from sticking.

Gently knead the fondant in your hands until soft. Break off a small piece and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on top of one end of the marshmallow to create a rounded head shape for the ghost.

Form the remaining fondant into a ball, then use a rolling pin to flatten it into a circle about 1/8 inch thick and 4 inches round. If desired, use a biscuit cutter to create a perfect circle.

Drape the fondant over the prepared marshmallow, shaping and folding it to create flowing sides. Use the decorating gel to draw a face. The ghost can be decorated with candy, pretzels or other foods. Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens' "Halloween Tricks & Treats," 2008.