Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2024

This year’s candy: hot honey sunflower butter cups, orange ginger clove white chocolate ganache, cranberry sage walnut marzipan, licorice cardamom ganache with dried cherry, turmeric white pepper white chocolate ganache, coriander black pepper marshmallow with candied fennel seeds, lemon saffron marshmallow with smoked salt, bay leaf caramel ganache. and juniper berry ganache with candied lemon peel.

9 candies arranged on a tray

This year’s candy: hot honey sunflower butter cups, orange ginger clove white chocolate ganache, cranberry sage walnut marzipan, licorice cardamom ganache with dried cherry, turmeric white pepper white chocolate ganache, coriander black pepper marshmallow with candied fennel seeds, lemon saffron marshmallow with smoked salt, bay leaf caramel ganache. and juniper berry ganache with candied lemon peel.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2023

This year’s candy included lapsang souchong ganache and caramel, wasabi marshmallow and ginger ganache, ras el hanout walnut marzipan, tequila marshmallow and jalapeños lime ganache, balsamic vinegar marshmallow and strawberry ganache, and pernod marshmallow and sage ganache.

This year’s candy included lapsang souchong ganache and caramel, wasabi marshmallow and ginger ganache, ras el hanout walnut marzipan, tequila marshmallow and jalapeños lime ganache, balsamic vinegar marshmallow and strawberry ganache, and pernod marshmallow and sage ganache.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Fundraiser Candy

I’m on the Board of Director of a fantastic little theater company called Teatro Visión. For our annual fundraiser this year, I made candies as a thank you to our donors.

I’m on the Board of Director of a fantastic little theater company called Teatro Visión. For our annual fundraiser this year, I made candies as a thank you to our donors. Flavors were habañero lime white chocolate ganache, coffee dark chocolate & hazelnut milk chocolate ganache, chipotle pecan brittle, and ube marshmallow with candied ginger on top.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2022

This year’s candy included anise black pepper marshmallows, coffee nutmeg marshmallows, spiced cinnamon ganache, paprika cinnamon toasted almond brittle, tarragon ganache with candied grapefruit peel, ginger caramel ganache, and coconut curry black sesame ganache.

A plate of assorted chocolates

This year’s candy included anise black pepper marshmallows, coffee nutmeg marshmallows, spiced cinnamon ganache, paprika cinnamon toasted almond brittle, tarragon ganache with candied grapefruit peel, ginger caramel ganache, and coconut curry black sesame ganache.

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Cake, Candy, Cookies Leigh Henderson Cake, Candy, Cookies Leigh Henderson

Sushi Pusheen Cake

My nephew loves sushi and he loves Pusheen, so his request for his birthday cake was Pusheen wrapped up in a California roll (otherwise known as Susheen).

Pusheen's cake head sticking out of a marshmallow sushi roll

My nephew loves sushi and he loves Pusheen, so his request for his birthday cake was Pusheen wrapped up in a California roll (otherwise known as Susheen).

The rice is marshmallow piped over top of a chocolate cookie structure. I made the Pusheen cake separately, inserted it into the middle of the rice tube, then filled in the space between the rice and the Pusheen with marzipan krab and avocado and fondant cucumber. The nori is fruit leather, painted with green food coloring. The wasabi is also marzipan and the ginger is just thinly sliced candied ginger. The base is covered with royal icing and is supposed to look like a slate serving tray.

Pusheen's cake butt sticking out of a marshmallow sushi roll

When I made my Rainbow Unicorn Pusheen Cake and my Valkyr Pusheen Cake, they were rainbow colored inside, but the layers of the cake were still flat. This time I decided to make the inside rainbow shaped as well as rainbow colored.

A slice of Pusheen cake showing a rainbow inside
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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Walnut Chocolates

I made these for a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Mottled dark and milk chocolate walnuts in white candy papers

I made these for a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. The filling is a brandy ganache with carmelized walnuts and a piece of spiced brandied maraschino cherry.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2021

This year, I made toasted almond cherry marzipan, pecan chipotle brittle, peppermint marshmallows, port wine marzipan, amaretto ganache, habañero dark chocolate ganache with mango white chocolate ganache, and carmelized walnuts.

Assorted candies on a white tray

This year, I made toasted almond cherry marzipan, pecan chipotle brittle, peppermint marshmallows, port wine marzipan, amaretto ganache, habañero dark chocolate ganache with mango white chocolate ganache, and carmelized walnuts. They all turned out well, especially the pecan chipotle brittle. I forgot I was scaling the recipe when I added the chipotle, so it was about 4 times as chipotle-y as it was supposed to be, but I think it was fortuitous because ultimately my mistake made it a more powerful eating experience.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2020

This year’s flavors include raspberry, honey sesame seed, anise, earl grey, almond cranberry toffee, coffee marshmallow, and almond clusters with white and dark chocolate.

Assorted chocolate candies
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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2019

Most years, I make candies to send to friends and family over the holidays. This year, I got a new great new book called Spice, so I tried a bunch of new spice combinations.

Box of various candies

Most years, I make candies to send to friends and family over the holidays. This year, I got a new great new book called Spice, so I tried a bunch of new spice combinations. Starting with the pink marshmallows in the upper left and moving down and then to the right, the flavors are: mulled wine marshmallows, tamarind garam masala marshmallows, cardamom sesame brittle, rice pudding white chocolate ganache, spiced apple caramel, spiced milk chocolate ganache, and dark chocolate mole bark.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Brain Chocolates

My friend was having brain surgery. My way of showing support was to send her brain-shaped chocolates.

Box of chocolates shaped and colored like brains

My friend was having brain surgery. My way of showing support was to send her brain-shaped chocolates.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2018

Flavors include coffee-chocolate squares, sesame seed brittle, crème fraîche, cinnamon-marshmallow with chocolate ganache, eggnog, and ginger-rum.

Box of assorted candy

Flavors include coffee-chocolate squares, sesame seed brittle, crème fraîche, cinnamon-marshmallow with chocolate ganache, eggnog, and ginger-rum.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2015

Flavors include dark chocolate sunbutter cups, sunflower seed toffee and brittle, coffee chocolate disks, chocolate-covered dried cranberries, and peppermint bark.

Box of assorted candies

Flavors include  dark chocolate sunbutter cups, sunflower seed toffee and brittle, coffee chocolate disks, chocolate-covered dried cranberries, and peppermint bark.

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Candy, Cake Leigh Henderson Candy, Cake Leigh Henderson

Edible Dramaturgy: Exploring death and fetish through candy

This is a performance I did with my friend and collaborator Kristin Hunt at the Makers Exhibition at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. The menu consisted of single peas, pea gummies, pea soda, capsaicin spun sugar, red wine gummies, black pepper conversation hearts, and pea cake balls filled with garlic marshmallow.

Woman in an apron laying out a row of balls on cake on a large table

This is a performance I did with my friend and collaborator Kristin Hunt at the Makers Exhibition at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. It’s based on two of our previous edible dramaturgy performances, Woyzeck (2013) and Miss Julie (2014). Guests were presented parallel, five-course tasting menus that led them through Woyzeck’s increasing madness and Miss Julie’s sexual surrender through the scent, taste, and texture of the food.

The menu consisted of single peas, pea gummies, pea soda, capsaicin spun sugar, red wine gummies, black pepper conversation hearts, and pea cake balls filled with garlic marshmallow.

Pile of peas on toothpicks next to a paper that reads, "Pea: We have seen that physical love has taken possession of all the sciences. In this respect it acts with its habitual tyranny."
Line of pea gummies next to a paper that reads: "Pea + sugar + agar: Man is omnivorous. All that is edible is subjected to his vast appetite, a thing which causes gustatory powers proportionate to the use he has to make of them ..."
Line of small cups fo pea soda next to a paper that reads, "Pea + soda + sugar" As soon as any esculent body is introduced into the mouth it is confiscated hopelessly, gas, juice, and all. The lips prevent its retrogression. ..."
Pile of red spun sugar next to a paper that reads, "Capsaicin + cotton candy: Capsaicin's effects begin immediately upon contact with the skin. The lips swell to a pout. A flush steals across the cheeks as its sting quickens the appetite ..."
Rows of wine gummies next to a paper that reads, "Wine + sugar: In the game of seduction, the fruit of the vine is a matchless competitor. Its appearance swells our anticipation even as its aroma evokes the musk of secret conquest ..."
Rows of pink heart-shaped candy next to paper that reads, "Black pepper + sugar + vegan gelatin: It is written in the Kama Sutra that if one, after anointing oneself with a mixture of the powder of the black pepper and honey ..."
Row of balls of pea cake filled with marshmallow next to a paper that reads, "Pea + cake + garlic + vegan marshmallow: Let us now glance at the system of our senses, considered together ..."
People at a long table interact with the artwork
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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Breast Chocolates

My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. I made these to let her know I was thinking of her.

Box of candies shaped like breasts

My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. I made these to let her know I was thinking of her.

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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Miss Julie

My friend Kristin Hunt invited me to create aphrodisiac candy recipes for a production of Miss Julie at Northeastern Illinois University - roasted garlic marshmallow, salted truffle caramels, red wine gummies, habanero cotton candy, and oyster white chocolate ganache.

A row of boxes of candies arranged on a table

My friend Kristin Hunt invited me to create aphrodisiac candy recipes for a production of Miss Julie at Northeastern Illinois University. These photos are from the production, so I didn’t make the candy myself, but they are my recipes - roasted garlic marshmallow, salted truffle caramels, red wine gummies, habanero cotton candy, and oyster white chocolate ganache. There were also black pepper conversation hearts, but that one was Kristin’s recipe, not mine. I tried to invent oyster cordial cherries, but I couldn’t get them not to be gross.

Close up of caramels in paper liners
Close up of marshmallows with honey in paper liners
Close up of chocolate candies in paper liners
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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Holiday Candy 2013

Flavors include raspberry caramel, pistachio marzipan, almond and pistachio nougat, lime ganache, and swiss rocks with almonds.

Assorted chocolate candies
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Candy Leigh Henderson Candy Leigh Henderson

Eyeball Cordial Cherries

One of my personal favorite candy invention. They squish just like a real eyeball (maybe?) when you bite into them and they taste delicious!

Trays of round white chocolates painted to look like bloody eyeballs

One of my personal favorite candy inventions. They squish just like a real eyeball (maybe?) when you bite into them and they taste delicious! The color of the iris distinguishes between the brandy-soaked and non-brandy soaked varieties.

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