Winter Snowscape Dessert with Snowmen

Dessert is important at women's meetings.

Maybe we don't want to admit it out loud, but it's true. It seems women are genetically predisposed to the promise of a sweet treat at the end of a business meeting.

It was my turn to provide the refreshments at a PEO meeting for one of our January meetings. And I was in search of a treat that would speak to the stark, winter landscape.

I did consider doing a warm dessert, like chocolate cobbler topped with ice cream or an apple cake with a warm caramel sauce. But my mind kept returning to snow and snowmen.

When I found a recipe for White Chocolate Lasagna, I decided it would become Winter Snowscape Dessert for my PEO sisters.

 

 

I also clicked on numerous links for building my own snowmen out of food, not snow. I got the ingredients to cover large pretzel rods. But when I tried it, the eyes, nose and buttons ended up sliding off the top of the pretzel.

So Plan B was born. And they turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Actually, I didn't have to say: My PEO sisters said so, too.

The downside? Constructing a snowman army is time consuming. But the dessert was pretty simple and quick, so I guess it all balanced out.

I know everyone has transitioned to thinking about Valentine's Day this month. But there's some snow in the forecast today. And no matter what Punxsutawney Phil says, I'm fairly confident we're not done with winter. 

Want to try it? Here's how. Enjoy!

Winter Snowscape Dessert

1 pkg. Golden Oreos
6 tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
16 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
7.8 oz. white chocolate instant pudding mix (or use 2 small packages)
3 cups whole milk
White chocolate bar (opt.)

Crush Oreos using a food processor to get a fine crumb. Melt 6 tablespoons butter. Combine with Oreos. Press into the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch pan, covering it evenly.

In a medium bowl, blend softened cream cheese and butter, mixing well. Add powdered sugar; mix again. Add half of the whipped topping. Blend well. Spread out over the crust layer.

In another bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Beat until thickened. Pour over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate at least 5 minutes.

Top off with the rest of the whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Optional: You may top the dessert with white chocolate curls. (Mine didn't make nice, long curls like I'd envisioned, but maybe that made it look more like snow.

Marshmallow Snowmen

Large marshmallows (2 per snowman)
White coating chocolate
Lifesaver gummies
Mini or micro-mini peanut butter cups or Hershey's Kisses
Black piping gel
Orange piping gel
Pretzel sticks, broken in half
Flat gummy candy like Airheads or fruit leather
White sanding sugar (opt.)

Melt coating chocolate. Put a little coating chocolate between the marshmallows to stick them together. I used Airheads and cut them in half for the scarves. I added the scarves right after putting the marshmallows together. The excess chocolate helps stick the scarf to the body. If needed, I added a little more coating chocolate on the underside of the scarf to attach it more firmly.

Attach the peanut butter cup to the Lifesaver gummy to form the hat. Attach the hat to the top of the snowman.

Using piping gel, make dots for the facial features.

On a piece of waxed paper, put a small dollop of melted coating chocolate. Sprinkle with white sanding sugar, if desired. Press the completed snowman into the melted coating chocolate. You may have to hold it up for a minute or so until it begins to set up. You can't work too far ahead or the chocolate will get too hard and you won't be able to press it into the chocolate dollop.

After the snowman is firm, snap pretzel sticks in half. Press broken ends into melted coating chocolate. Push into the bottom marshmallow.

Note: You may have to reheat your coating chocolate in the microwave if it starts to get hard.