Aunt Jocelynes Igloo Recipes

Steps:

• Line 1-quart bowl with plastic wrap. In food processor, place Cheddar cheese, blue cheese, 1 package softened cream cheese, the bacon bits, onions and pepper sauce. Cover and process, using quick on-and-off motions, until thoroughly mixed. Press cheese mixture into bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• Invert cheese mixture onto upside-down glass plate or pie plate, forming igloo shape. Remove about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture from one side to make 2x2 1/2-inch arched doorway.
• Cut two 3/8-inch slices from end of block of firm cream cheese; reserve. Beat remaining cream cheese and the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth. Frost glass plate and igloo with cream cheese mixture; smooth with spatula. Draw lines across igloo, using toothpick, to look like ice blocks. Cut each reserved cream cheese slice into 4 rectangles. Use 6 to 8 rectangles to form door canopy. Cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To make penguins, cut a slit from top to bottom on each jumbo olive on one side only. Insert about 1 teaspoon cream cheese into olive to fill cavity. Cut carrot into 1/4-inch slices; cut small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Press cutout notch piece into center of small olive to form beak (if necessary, pierce olive with small paring knife or toothpick to make a hole). Using a frilled toothpick, stack head (small olive), body (jumbo olive) and feet (carrot slice), adjusting so that beak, cream cheese breast and notch in carrot slice line up. (Penguins will stand better if olives are stacked with larger holes facing downward.)
• To serve, cut flag shape from carrot curl and secure on toothpick; insert into top of igloo. Garnish igloo with rosemary, bell pepper and cream cheese penguins. Serve with crackers.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan and 8-inch half-sphere cake pan with cooking spray and dust with flour, tapping out the excess (see Cook's Note).
• Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions. Pour a little more than half the batter into the half-sphere pan and pour the remaining batter into the round pan. Bake until the cake round is baked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking the half-sphere until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove to a rack to cool. Remove the cakes from the pans while still warm and let cool completely on the rack.
• For the igloo and polar bears: If the top of either cake domed while baking, shave it flat with a serrated knife before proceeding. Place the cake round bottom-side down on a large rimmed serving tray. Spread the top of the cake with the marshmallow creme almost to the edge (a wet offset spatula is helpful when spreading the creme). Place the half-sphere cake flat-side down on top of the cake round.
• Cut the doughnut in half to make 2 half circles, trimming the insides of the pieces if necessary to make 2 arched doorways for the igloo. Frost the 2 pieces, stick them together so you have a short tunnel and attach it to the igloo with more frosting. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake and doorway.
• Set aside 8 regular marshmallows, then snip the remaining regular marshmallows in half from top to bottom (lengthwise) with sharp kitchen shears. Starting at the base of the cake and continuing in a circle, press the cut side of the marshmallows into the frosting to adhere to the igloo, packing the pieces as close as possible so almost no frosting shows through. Continue adding snipped marshmallows in rows until you reach the top. Add more snipped marshmallows to finish the doorway, quartering some lengthwise if necessary to make a tight fit. Cut 1 of the remaining whole regular marshmallows in half crosswise and put one piece on the very top of the igloo. Spread the granulated sugar around the cake on the tray to make drifts of snow.
• To make 3 polar bear heads: Snip a thin piece from one of the flat ends of 3 regular marshmallows to make them sticky. Flip the marshmallows over onto a plate so the untrimmed flat sides are face up. Snip a thin piece from the top and bottom of 3 mini marshmallows, then adhere a marshmallow to the center of each of the heads (these are the bases of the noses). Press a brown chocolate candy onto each mini marshmallow. To make eyes, use a toothpick to hollow out 2 sticky patches on each head, then apply a set of candy eyes to each. Cut 3 mini marshmallow in half crosswise and attach 2 pieces to the top of each head for ears.
• To make the floating polar bear: Clear a space in the sugar snow with your fingers for a pool. Add the rock candy. Place one of the polar bear heads on the rock candy so it looks like it is peeking out of the water. Snip 2 regular marshmallows in half diagonally to make 4 triangular pieces. Arrange the pieces in the pool for paws.
• To make the sitting polar bears: Snip a disc from both the top and bottom flat ends of the remaining 2 regular marshmallows, then cut each disc into half-moons. Arrange 4 of the half-moon pieces cut-side up in a square to form front and back paws; arrange the other 4 in another square. Snip the jumbo marshmallow in half diagonally, then place one piece on each set of paws cut-side up, with the round end at the front set of paws. Attach a polar bear head to the upper third of the round end of each jumbo marshmallow piece. Snip an end from the remaining 2 mini marshmallows and attach one to each jumbo marshmallow piece for a tail. Sit the polar bears on the sugar.
• For the campfire and fish: Sprinkle the chopped chocolate pieces in a circle to resemble dirt for a fire pit. Pile the red, orange, pink and yellow snipped gummy bears in the center to resemble a campfire and embers.
• To make a fish over the fire: Cut an 8-inch piece of black licorice lace. Cut a small slit near the tail of 1 fish with the tip of a paring knife, making sure not to cut all the way through the tail. Thread the licorice lace through the slit and tie a knot on one end. Slide the fish down so it is secured by the knot. Lay the fish down on a work surface and lay 3 of licorice twist pieces on top of the fish so the tail of the fish and the end of the twisted licorice candies line up (eat or discard the fourth piece of licorice twist). Wrap the black licorice lace around the top of the licorice twists to keep them in a bundle, then tuck in the lace so it stays put. Stand the bundle upright and separate the licorice twists to form a tripod. Place it over the fire with the fish hanging in the middle.
• For the fish on the line: Make a small slit near the tails of the 3 remaining fish with the tip of a paring knife, making sure not to cut all the way through the tails. Thread the remaining piece of black licorice lace through the slits. Tuck the ends of the licorice lace into the side of the igloo near the fire and arrange the fish so they hang down. Sprinkle the cake and bears with the confectioners' sugar for a snow effect, if desired.

Steps:

• Make the Igloo:
• Butter and flour an 8-inch-round cake pan and a 1.5-quart ovenproof bowl. Make the cake batter; divide between the pan and the bowl. Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes for the pan, 40 to 45 minutes for the bowl. Let cool, then unmold the cakes onto a rack.
• Microwave the white chocolate at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes. Pour onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread to 1/4 inch thick with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Chill until set, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the chocolate from the refrigerator. Break most of it into rough 1/2-to-1-inch pieces to form the ice that covers the igloo.
• Use a paring knife to cut a few even 1/2-inch tiles from the remaining chocolate (these are for the tunnel entrance).
• Assemble the igloo: Mix 2 1/2 cups frosting with the blue food coloring. Spread some blue frosting on the flat cake, then cover with the bowl-shaped cake.
• Spread some frosting on the cake where you want the tunnel to go, then attach a doughnut half, cut-side down. Attach the other half with frosting to extend the tunnel.
• Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of blue frosting (this is called a "crumb coat," which is like a primer; it doesn't have to be perfect). Chill, uncovered, until the frosting sets, about 15 minutes.
• Spread the remaining blue frosting evenly over the cake and doughnuts. Arrange the white-chocolate pieces on the igloo in a mosaic pattern. Place the even white- chocolate tiles around the tunnel entrance.
• For the trees, mix 3/4 cup vanilla frosting with the green food coloring. Spread on the cones, flicking the frosting with the tip of an offset spatula to form branches. Arrange the trees around the igloo and dust with confectioners' sugar.