My Favorite Murder Conversation Hearts
We all have ways of dealing with the more monotonous moments of our lives. Whether you're doing chores, stuck in traffic, or hitting the treadmill, you probably have a go-to radio station or album or back-ground tv show to help fill the dead air. That's when I put on a podcast, and one of my very favorites is My Favorite Murder, a true crime podcast that feels like chatting with your best friends.
In My Favorite Murder, hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark regale each other, and the audience, with a different tale of murder every week. It may seem like a bleak subject matter, but this is technically a comedy podcast, and though sometimes a real challenge, Karen & Georgia somehow manage to find the (often dark) humor in the grisly tales of blood and horror each week.
I wanted to make something to celebrate the show and what I love about it, which is not just these stories, but the way they're told. Many of the fan-favorite lines from Karen and Georgia have found their way onto official and fan-made merchandise, so I wanted to incorporate them into my treats as well. And nothing says "write on me" like conversation hearts.
If you've only ever had the drug-store candy hearts that come with so many paper valentines, this could be a lot of fun. Not only do you get to write your own messages on these hearts, but you can flavor them yourself, too, which means instead of the usual wintergreen, grape, lime flavors you can do peach bellini or salted caramel or whatever your heart (get it?) desires.
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup cool water
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
3 lbs. powdered sugar
food coloring
RECIPE
Add water and gelatin in microwave-safe bowl. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 5 minutes, then microwave in 10 second increments and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. On low, mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until you have a smooth white dough that's firm to the touch, not sticky. Divide the dough into however many colors or flavors you'd like, and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap (dough will dry quickly, so keep it tightly wrapped until ready to use).
On a piece of parchment or wax paper, flatten the dough slightly and add a few drops of flavoring and food coloring to the center. Knead until the dough is one uniform color and the flavor has been fully incorporated (you may want to wear gloves for this). Wrap in plastic wrap, and repeat with remaining sections of dough.
When ready to cut, roll out the dough on a clean, dry surface, being careful that it doesn't stick. If necessary, you can dust with some more powdered sugar. Roll to 1/4" thickness, cut out heart shapes and move to parchment or wax paper to dry.
Repeat with remaining dough sections and allow to dry, uncovered, for 2 days. Write your favorite sayings with your edible food pen and store in an airtight container up to 3 weeks, or give some to your favorite Murderino.