The original recipe can be found here on the site Givers Log. I gave it a shot...and learned a few things along the way. Here's my version, if you want to try it!
Gather your materials:
(try not to scarf too many of them down before you begin...)
Ingredients:Each batch makes 8-10 "cubes". You can make multiple batches, but I wouldn't suggest doubling it. You might be (probably are) more talented than I am, but it was challenging enough to get the consistency right....doubling or tripling seems risky.
- 12oz of chocolate- any kind but higher percentage of cocoa butter is better....not vegetable oil based. Original recipe has a ton of info on this....I just used bags of chocolate chips available at the Giant Eagle- you know, cuz I'm fancy like that. You can experiment with flavors- I went with White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon Chips (mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with regular chocolate) and Dark Chocolate.
- 1/2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa- The store was sold out of regular, so I got Dark Chocolate. Turned out delicious, so I'm sure you'll be fine either way.
- Pinch of salt
- Optional decorations: I used candy melts (like those from Wilton, available at craft stores), crushed up peppermint/candy canes, and extra cocoa for sprinkling, but you could use just about anything!
- ice cube trays (make sure you get enough if you're making multiple batches)
- sticks (I used some cheap ones found in the craft section of Michael's...they're prettier than popsicle sticks, but cheaper than the round ones sold in the baking area)
- clear bags, twistie ties or twine, paper and glue stick for printing.
- A double boiler, (If you've got one, awesome- it's about to earn its keep. If not, no fear, I just used a metal bowl.)
- An awesome helper like my friend Kristin. (ok...you probably can't get one of these...but if you can, do it. She's the best!)
Before we begin, let me stress this: *Do NOT let ANY water get in your chocolate....none. It will be ruined. Consider yourself warned.
Here we go...
- Simmer a couple of inches of water in large pot.
- Reduce heat so it stays below a simmer.
- Melt chocolate in double boiler/bowl. Bowl shouldn’t touch water at the bottom....also- don’t lift up the bowl...all the steam will rise up and get condensation in the chocolate. Bad news. (heed the warnings!)
- When it’s 2/3 melted, remove pot(with bowl still on top) from heat. Continue stirring, until melted.
- Add sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir until blended.
It should be about the consistency of frosting- smooth and glossy....i.e. Not at all like this:
This was the first batch, and "failure" is an understatement. But my mess can be your success! We figured out a fix- After adding all the ingredients, if it’s dry or hard to stir, return to a low heat and add 1-2tsp vegetable oil. Good as new!Then, pour into a ziplock bag, cut the tip and pipe into ice cube tray- no need to spray/coat them with anything. (and yes, it looks a little like poo- but it smells so good you won't care).
Add sticks and let them dry (I left mine for a few hours, and they were *almost* done. Better to leave them over night so they're easy to remove from the trays. ) If you're making multiple different kinds, make sure to label them, so they (and you) don't get mixed up.
At this point, your kitchen, and your hands (and your helper's hands) are probably a complete disaster. We'll break for a minute while you clean up....
Once the chocolate is set, you can pop it out of the trays. It takes a bit of effort, but if they're all the way dry and cool, they should come out ok.Now the fun part! You can dip it into other colors of chocolate or candy melts, and decorate with candy. For the drizzle, just melt some chocolate in the microwave and use a ziplock to pipe it on. A styrofoam block is helpful for this portion, so all the sticks can dry.
Stick them in the Styrofoam to dry....shouldn't take more than a half hour or so.I made:
- Milk chocolate with white candy coating and peppermint candy pieces.
- White chocolate with white candy coating and dark chocolate drizzle.
- Dark chocolate with a mix of white and chocolate candy coating and dark chocolate drizzle.
- Cinnamon chips and milk chocolate with white candy coating and cocoa "sprinkling"
And voila! You have beautiful, and delicious gifts, perfect for snowy winter evenings.
Each 1oz cube makes an 8oz cup of hot chocolate.
mmmm, mmmm good.
Enjoy!
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Of SNOW! I had a few errands to run, but none worth trekking out into the blizzard-y abyss.
