Edible Menorah in Window
I always enjoy going out to a Chanukah party in a different neighborhood, town, or city. Growing up, my parents always pointed out to us how the number of menorahs diminished as we reached the outskirts of our area, and when we got closer to another Jewish community, we were always “challenged” with the question, “Who’s going to spot the first menorah?!” And then we would start counting until it became impossible to count so fast!
Today, with all the new neighborhoods that keep popping in various cities to accommodate the growing Jewish population, it’s so much fun to see all the “menorah windows” that dot the map. This was the inspiration behind this menorah window craft.
You will need:
- graham crackers (5½ crackers per project)
- clear mint candies
- white Baker’s Choice royal icing
- Baker’s Choice silver edible glitter dust
- licorice wheel candies (I used Schwartz Twister Wheels, purchased at Gourmet Glatt)
- baking chocolate (melted)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully break the graham crackers as follows:
* 2 crackers cut into 2 squares (for a total of 4 squares)
* 2 crackers cut into 2 long rectangles (for a total of 4 long rectangles)
* 1½ crackers, cut into 6 quarters
- The window is made up of two layers. Divide the cut up crackers in half so you have one set for each layer. Set aside one set of crackers.
- For the menorah, cut a twister wheel in half. Remove some of the rows so there are only four remaining. Use one of the pieces that you’ve removed for the bottom of the menorah and for the shamash.
- Place the candy menorah on a covered area and spray with silver dust. Set aside.
- Arrange one set of crackers on a parchment-lined metal cookie sheet with 4 mint candies in the center, as shown.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 6–7 minutes. The mint candy will look wet and bubbly. (If the cookies spread out during baking, very carefully push them back together. The candy is very hot, so be careful.) Make sure the melted candy has spread to all the sides and corners.
- While the melted candy is still liquid, carefully press the menorah in and allow it to set for a few minutes.
- Spread melted chocolate on the graham cracker. Don’t spread it too close to the edges, so it doesn’t seep through the sides and into the window area. (Tip: You can place the chocolate in a ziploc bag with a hole cut in the corner to make the spreading easier.)
- Place the second layer of graham crackers over the first. (Note: In the first layer, the large rectangles were placed to one side and the small rectangles to the other side. For the second layer do the opposite, to make the frame stronger.)
- Add the rectangular “shutters,” attaching them with additional melted chocolate. (I recommend decorating them first.) Allow them to set before handling.
- Use the royal icing to decorate the rest of the frame.
Tips:
* Try to handle as little as possible as the windows are fragile.
* I recommend decorating the window on a hard surface that it can be displayed on, for example a small wood cutting board or tray.
*Buy extra graham crackers in case some come broken
Photos by Sina Mizrahi
This article originally appeared in Family First