Tiger Tails

These treats are chewy gooey good!  I first had something like this at a certain amusement park in Anaheim, CA and they were named for a tiger like creature that liked to bounce around.

Here's what you need:

~ Package of large marshmallows
~ 14 oz package of traditional caramels (unless you want to make your own caramel)
~ Approximately 1/2 cup of sugar (preferably with larger granules)
~ Orange food coloring
~ Your choice of chocolate for melting (you need approximately 1/4 cup)
~ Large wooden skewers cut down to approximately 6 inches
   (Warning: cut off and discard or re-purpose the pointed tip.  We don't want the kiddies to  
    get a sharp surprise!)  
~ You will also need parchment paper and a small plastic baggie

These measurements are enough to make approximately 12 Tiger Tails

Step 1: Coloring the Sugar and Other Preparation

Place your sugar in a bowl and add a few drops of the orange food coloring.  Mix well with a fork.  Add more coloring in small amounts if needed.  It doesn't take much.  Dump the sugar on a plate and set aside to let dry while you proceed with the next steps.

Place three marshmallows on the skewers by pushing the skewer through the middle of each.  If you haven't done so already, cut the skewer down to 6 inches and make sure the pointed tip is gone.

Step 2: Melt the Caramels

Melt the caramels according to the instructions on your package.  To melt mine, I placed the caramels in a large saucepan along with two tablespoons of water and then stirred constantly on medium heat.  After the caramels are melted, I turn the heat to low just to keep the caramel warm and workable.

Side note: I also spray the pan with a non-stick spray to help in cleanup (not sure if it really helps, but I figure it couldn't hurt!).  To clean my pan, because caramel is sticky and sometimes hard to clean off, I just boiled water in the pan to remove most of the caramel.

Okay, let's put some tails together.


 

Step 3: Dipping and Rolling

Organize your workspace into a Tiger Tail assembly line so you can grab your marshmallow adorned skewers, dip them in caramel, add the colored sugar, and then place on your parchment paper.

At this time, take a fork and make sure the sugar is broken up and not sticking together.

Grab a skewer and spoon the melted caramel over the entire surface of the marshmallows.  Let the excess caramel drip off into the pan- this also lets the caramel cool just a bit.

Now, roll your caramel coated marshmallows in the sugar.  Spoon some on the hard to get areas if needed and make sure you get some sugar on the ends of the marshmallows.  Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet or plate.

Stir your caramel and continue to dip and roll. 

Step 4: Adding the Chocolate Tiger Stripes

Use whatever chocolate you enjoy and melt about 1/4 cup of it according to the package instructions.  Spoon the melted chocolate into a small plastic baggie and cut off a small portion of a bottom corner to make a small hole.  Squeeze the bag as you pass over the "orange tails" and turn them into "tiger tails" by making the stripes. 

Let the treats cool down for an hour or two before enjoying.

If you desire, you could also had some stripes of white chocolate.  Another possibility is to make these coordinate with various holidays.  With St. Patrick's Day coming up in March, you could use green colored sugar and maybe decorate with minty chocolate.