M&M'S POPCORN HEARTS

These eye-catching popcorn hearts are a delicious gift – perfect for sharing on Valentine’s Day or your anniversary.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg (430 grams) Vanilla Cake Mix
1/3 cup butter, divided 3 cups marshmallows
6 cups popped popcorn, 113 grams white chocolate, melted and divided
2 pkg (1 1/2 oz each) Milk Chocolate M&M’S Valentine’s Day Mix or red, white and pink M&M'S
2 to 4 drops red food coloring
2 to 4 drops pink food coloring 12 lollipop sticks

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare cake mix; bake according to package directions. Let cool. Crumble cake to make 1 1/2 cups cake crumbs (reserve remaining cake for another use).
2. Preheat oven to 176C. Melt 3 tbsp butter; toss with cake crumbs. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet; bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool completely.
3. Melt remaining butter in large saucepan set over low heat; stir in marshmallows. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until completely melted. Remove from heat.
4. Immediately stir in popcorn, half of the melted white chocolate, Milk Chocolate M&M’S and cake crumbles until coated. Let cool slightly.
5. Using wet hands, press popcorn mixture evenly onto parchment paper–lined baking sheet; let cool completely. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 hearts, reserving scraps for another use.
6. Reserve 2 tbsp white chocolate. Divide remaining melted white chocolate between two bowls. Stir red food coloring into one bowl; stir pink food coloring into remaining bowl. Drizzle both colors of chocolate over popcorn hearts.
7. Dip bottom 1 inch of lollipop stick into reserved melted chocolate. Using melted chocolate as glue, place lollipop stick on back of each popcorn heart; let stand until chocolate sets and lollipop stick adheres to popcorn heart.