cute Christmas snack: How the Grinch became a Kiwi

I have been stewing over how to make a Grinchy kiwi guy for a few weeks. The thing about the Grinch, is that he's a big meanie. And kind of scary. And I haven't exactly had a lot of success trying to make food look menacing (just take the nervous jack-o-lantern sandwich, or demented frog toast, for example).

The most pressing issue I had was figuring out what to do about the Santa hat. A cupcake pick just wouldn't do. I fooled around with fashioning one out of fruit leather, but that was wonky and the color was all wrong. But then when browsing Pinterest one night, I saw some little brownie bites topped with strawberry and frosting Santa hats (link).  Strawberries! A strawberry Santa hat! Of course!! So then it on like Donkey Kong. Or, on like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, in this case.



He's a mean one, this kiwi dude. This Grinch is a peeled kiwi fruit, topped with a strawberry and mini-marshmallow Santa hat. He is propped up in a mini silicone cup (it's actually a heart shaped cup. Don't tell the Grinch!).

Another detail I pondered beforehand was how to make his sinister eyes. Icing eyes are much too cute for the Grinch. And then as I was sorting through Halloween candy to pluck out the pieces suitable for our gingerbread houses, I saw banana Laffy Taffy. I remembered immediately how the people in one of my favorite cute cupcake idea books often sculpt their decorations from Laffy Taffy. Perfect!!

I rolled the Laffy Taffy out nice and thin, cut out the right shape, and then colored the middles with my fave food safe markers.



I'm mostly pleased with how he came out. This Grinch was definitely the hardest kiwi guy I've made so far! I had been so focused on figuring out the hat and the eyes that I didn't realize he would need that creepy curvy mouth. I gingerly carved out his mouth with a steak knife. Probably not the best tool for the job. I would have done it differently had I thought about it beforehand. As it was, I had him all done and then realized after the fact that he still needed a mouth. Whoops! :)
 

 
One of my favorite details ended up being his eyebrows. I think they helped pull off the sinister look needed to be truly Grinchy. I like how they jut up off his face.
 
Paige's response: "Whoa! Mama, why did you make a mean monster Santa? He's not friendly at all! What? He's the Grinch? You mean that scary guy who tried to snatch Christmas?! Mama!! That's not nice of you."
 
Ah, well. Can't please 'em all. :)

Kiwi guys! Get your kiwi guys here!:
Little Bunny Foo Foo Goon
Frankenstein
Angry Birds Grandpa Pig
Kermit the Frog

Supplies used to make the kiwi Grinch: