Happy Habitat Cookies and Candy

Step 1

In advance: Make animal pops. Use candy colors to tint portions of melted white candy black, gray (add a small amount of black to white), pink and green; add white to light cocoa for light brown. Each uses 1 oz. Candy Melts. Using piping method, fill in animal head sections of candy mold cavities (let lion face set before adding mane); chill until firm. Fill round backgrounds half full with melted candy in contrasting color; chill until firm. Pipe on facial features using melted candy in cut parchment bag; let set. Attach 6 in. Lollipop Sticks to backs using melted candy; let set.

Step 2

Also: Make cookie packages. Prepare and roll out dough. Cut 10 squares using largest Cut-Out; cut 1/2 in. off 1 side to make 2 in. wide rectangles. Bake and cool cookies. Outline cookies using tip 3 and full-strength color flow; fill in with thinned color flow; let dry 24 hours. Set on waxed paper-covered board. Use full-strength color flow and tip 5 to outline and pipe in ribbon and bow; let set then add dot knot. Let dry completely.

Step 3

And: Make 3 treetops. For each treetop, roll out 4 spearmint leaves on waxed paper to flatten and lengthen to 2-2 1/2 in. Tape over center hole of Flower Forming Cups. Pipe a 1 in. circle of melted candy in center of cup; position 4 leaves in candy, trimming ends to a V for a snug fit. Pipe a large dot of candy over leaves to secure. Chill until set.

Step 4

For base, wrap 6 in. craft foam round in foil. For base board, trim 8 in. Cake Circle to 7 1/2 in.; wrap in foil. Attach base to base board using melted candy.

Step 5

Make tree trunks. For each tree trunk, thread 5 or 6 nougat candies onto 11 3/4 in. Lollipop Stick, leaving 1/8 in. exposed at the top. Trim exposed bottom to just 2 in. Use knife tip to make a small hole in the candy center of each treetop bottom; insert exposed tip of tree trunk. Secure with melted candy; let set. Attach candy-coated chocolates around trunk with melted candy; let set.

Step 6

Attach packages around center using melted candy. Insert trees and animal pops. Curl 18 in. lengths of ribbon. Tie around sticks and scatter over base.

*Combine Violet with Rose for violet shown. Combine Leaf Green with Lemon Yellow for green shown.