Leftover Halloween candy? Here’s how to turn it into a delicious fall dessert

Your pint-sized vampire or princess brought home so much Halloween candy, the child has been bouncing off the walls since Friday night, and you fear the upcoming dentist visit.

So, we understand why, if that sack of candy was nearly the same weight as your child, it’s time to make some of it disappear. True, in our home, the words “leftover” and “candy” are rarely seen together, but a savvy baker needs only an imagination (and a good hiding place) to make use of the leftover Junior Mints, Snickers, Starburst and other sweets.

Laura Laiben, owner of the Culinary Center of Kansas City, has a brilliant idea for those leftover sweets. They’ll stay fresh for another month or so, and then their use can stretch your child’s imagination.

“Nearly any candy can be used in a gingerbread house,” says Laiben, who goes by the title “The Main Dish” at the Culinary Center. “Roofs can be lined with Twizzlers and decorated with Skittles.”

Starburst can be windows in a simple house, and slices of Milky Way bars can be stepping stones, she adds.

Other candy can be melted down and used as a sauce for ice cream. Add a little additional fat to any candy made of chocolate, and you have yourself the perfect topping. Also consider peanut butter cup bars. Hoosier Homemade suggests topping a cookie crust with a peanut butter cream filling Reece’s Pieces and peanut butter cups.

One of the simplest recipes we found for leftover candy was Halloween Candy Bark, from the Cooking Channel.

Halloween Candy Bark

Ingredients

• 20 ounces milk chocolate
• Assorted Halloween candy, about 15 pieces or packs (the equivalent of 1 to 1½ cups of chopped candy)

Directions

• Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up.
• Cut the candy bars into pieces. If you’re using M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces, crush them or leave them whole. (Crush them easily by putting them in a resealable plastic bag and smacking them against the counter or tapping them with a mallet).
• Put a glass or metal bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure bowl doesn’t touch water. Add the chocolate until it’s melted and smooth. Don’t overheat the chocolate.
• Remove bowl, wipe condensation from bottom, and spread melted chocolate onto prepared baking sheet, using rubber spatula to spread it to a 10-12 inch circle, about ¼ inch thick.
• Press the candy pieces into the chocolate, arranging them so each bite has a mix of flavors, colors and textures. Refrigerate for an hour to set before breaking it into large pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.