Sweet. Creamy. Ooh, with the pleasant surprise of crunchy peppermint crystals- all compressed into a kiss- a Hershey Kiss- and bundled in the shiny silver, red-marked foil with a ribbon labeled, “CANDY CANE” peaking out its top. My friend, Ashley, introduced me to these bright bursts of Christmas flavor last year. As Christmas is only a few days away, I thought I would spread the love to those around the office, but I just can’t find them here in Japan! Granted, I haven’t searched the hardest. I have found Kisses but not the peppermint variety.

Nonetheless, I hope you can find them. Here’s a couple ideas that would make it worth it.

• Pop’em in your mouth!
  • That’s an easy one
• Thumbprint Cookies
  • Prepare, or buy your favorite cookie dough. I suggest sugar, chocolate chip. Make sure the dough is soft and pliable. Place cookies on a sprayed sheet pan and create an indent in each cookie with your thumb. Fill each indent with a Kiss and bake as usual.
• Cakes & Pies
  • Use the Kisses to top or border a cake, cream pie, or cheesecake!
• Fudge
  • Spray a square cake pan and line with parchment. Combine 1.5 lbs of Kisses with 1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk and half a stick of butter over a double boiler, stirring until melted. Alternatively, microwave for 15-30 second bursts and stir gently until melted and thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pan and smooth, or not.  Chill, cut, and serve.

• Hot White Chocolate
  • Now this one is risky and generally not advised due to the stabilizers in the Kisses BUT if you dare, try slowly adding hot milk, piecemeal, into the mixture above. Pour and serve!

Let me know how it comes out or if you come up with any ideas or find anything clever somewhere on the internet.