Easy Chocolate Gifts

ost people think diamonds are a girl's best friend, but they're wrong." My husband had been talking to our teenage son about girls, and how important good manners were if you wanted to impress a girl, then he suddenly threw this bit of advice in. "What women really want," he continued, "is chocolate!"

I laughed, but then I realized that he's not too far from the truth. Though most women wouldn't turn down a diamond in favor of a piece of chocolate, few would turn down a gift of chocolates, either. Come to think of it, few men would turn down such a gift. Chocolate rules.

The simple chocolate recipes below should bring a smile to your Sweetheart this Valentine's Day. They're almost as much fun to make as they are to eat!

Basic Directions You can use either chocolate chips or sweetened baking chocolate. Baking chocolate will produce a slightly better product, but chips are a little faster and easier to melt (for those of us who are impatient). Instead of chocolate, you could use Wilton's candy melts, which come in a variety of colors and flavors and are available at most craft stores. Melting chocolate Never add water or liquid food coloring to your chocolate as it will ruin it. If you want colored chocolate, start out with white chocolate and add a small amount of the colored paste used in cake decorating. To use melted chocolate for decorating (like icing), allow it to cool slightly after melting and pour some into a zip-style baggie. Press all of the air out of the bag and close it. Clip a small piece off of one of the bottom corners of the bag to make a hole for squirting the chocolate through. Stove method Heat water in the bottom of a double boiler until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat (this is important; if you overheat the chocolate it will not be the right consistency for dipping). Add chocolate to the top of the boiler, and stir frequently until melted. If you don't have a double boiler, just use a bowl inside a larger bowl or pan of water. Microwave Method Put chocolate into a microwave safe dish. Cook for no more than 30 seconds at a time, stirring well between cooking. Quit microwaving while the chocolate is still lumpy, and stir it well to allow the rest of the lumps to melt. You do not want to overheat the chocolate, as it will ruin the consistency. Cooling Place chocolates in the refrigerator or freezer for 5-10 minutes, or until set, then remove.

Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of a small bread pan, leaving an extra 1/2 inch folded up on one side (to use for a "handle" when removing the chocolate later). Pour melted chocolate in, about 1/4-1/3" thick, and spread out evenly. Tap the sides of the pan lightly to remove any air bubbles. Chill until set. Remove from pan, and peel off paper. Use icing or colored, melted chocolate to pipe on a name or message. Add a chocolate leaf or two (in a contrasting color) for decoration.

Carefully wash a few leaves from a rose bush, grapevine, or other plant (don't use leaves from poisonous plants!), and pat them dry. Use a pastry brush to coat the top side of each leaf with melted chocolate. Cool. Brush on a second layer of chocolate, if needed, and cool again. Carefully peel the leaf off of the chocolate.

Small chocolate leaves make nice decorations for other chocolate items or for cakes or pies. If you use a large leaf, such as a grape leaf, you can carefully set it in a bowl while the chocolate sets so that the chocolate will form a bowl shape. Put a few small candies, such as cinnamon red hots or starlight mints, into the chocolate shell for a nice gift.

Pour a layer of melted chocolate about 1/4" thick onto waxed paper and smooth out. When cool, use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the chocolate as you would with sugar cookies. Decorate with icing or melted chocolate. If you have several sizes of the same shape, you can stack several together in a tier, using a small amount of melted chocolate to "glue" them together. Use a different color of chocolate for each layer, if desired.

The surprise here is what's inside the chocolate. My family couldn't guess what it was, but it quickly became one of their favorite treats. Simply dip a mini corn chip in melted chocolate to completely coat it, lay it on waxed paper and cool. These are sweet and crunchy!

Spread lightly salted (unbuttered) popped corn on a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle melted chocolate over it. Let cool. (Note: you can use unsalted popcorn, but in our home taste tests the salted popcorn was the clear winner for this recipe).

Place a few unwrapped peppermint patties in a row on a doily-covered plate, using a small amount of melted chocolate to "glue" them in place. Use colored chocolate or icing to write one letter of your message on each patty.

This is this easiest way for your kids to get in on the fun. Set up a few bowls with toppings such as coconut, chopped nuts, powdered sugar and colored sprinkles, and a bowl of melted chocolate. The kids can dip items into melted chocolate then whatever toppings they desire (if any), and lay them on a sheet of waxed paper to cool. Many items can be dipped in just halfway and will look quite nice. If an item is to be completely covered in chocolate, swirl the chocolate a little as you pull the spoon away from the item when you lay it on the paper, so that the chocolate will look more professional. To make them look even nicer, serve the chocolates on a paper doily with a few chocolate leaves.

Some good items for dipping are:

• Large marshmallows

• Fruit, in season (berries, cherries, melon cubes, etc. - avoid fruits that turn brown, such as bananas and apples); use a toothpick for dipping.

• Sugar cookes (heart shaped, of course!), or vanilla wafers. Instead of dipping them, you could lay them on a piece of waxed paper then drizzle melted chocolate over them.

• Pretzels

• Large nuts, such as almonds or brazil nuts.

• Candy balls: mix peanut butter and powdered sugar or cream cheese and powdered sugar and shape into balls. Refrigerate until firm, then dip.

If you are going to make chocolates rather frequently, you might want to invest in a few candy molds to make shaped chocolates. Just pour melted chocolate into your mold until it is level with the top, and tap the sides to remove air bubbles. Cool completely, then pop out your chocolates. If you want to put a nut or something in the center, partially fill the molds with chocolate, add the center, then fill them to the top with more chocolate.

If you have a mold with a fairly large shape, you can make a shaped chocolate shell. Just brush melted chocolate over the bottom and sides of the mold, about 1/4" - 1/3" thick (make sure it is coated completely). Chill, then carefully remove from mold. Fill the shell with pudding or small candies.

If you still long for diamonds but are on a chocolate budget, get yourself a copy of The Joy of Chocolate by Judith Olney. The book is packed with ideas for delicious and beautiful chocolates, and even includes a recipe for--you guessed it--Chocolate Diamonds. Happy Valentine's Day!

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Alice E. Workman is the mother of three, a writer and homeschooler. She is the Editor of Love of Learning, a free email newsletter for parents and homeschoolers. Information and back issues of Love of Learning can be found at http://edsupply.hypermart.net