How to: Make your own Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are a great treat any time of year. Even if the strawberries aren't the most ripe, adding chocolate to them can help curve the tartness. At grocery stores, or specialty candy stores, a dozen strawberry's can cost you $14 or more! Making them at home is easy, fun, and much less expensive.

What you need:

~1 lb. strawberries (the bigger the better), cleaned and DRY, stems on
~Double-Boiler or candy melting appliance (You can also use your microwave, but its not recommended due to candy being easily burnt)
~14 oz. of Wilton Candy melts OR Solid chocolate bar, dark or milk OR Milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips (although I don't recommend as they sometimes don't melt as smoothly).
~ Wax paper
~ Cookie sheet (jelly roll pan)
~ toothpicks
~ Plastic bottle (optional)

What to do:

~ Start melting your candy or chocolate of choice over double broiler.

~ Place wax paper over cookie sheet.

~ Make sure chocolate is fully melted, no chunks should be visible.

~ Making sure strawberries are DRY, poke TOP of strawberry and dip into fully melted chocolate, avoiding touching bottom of pan. Twirl strawberry until fully coated, leaving top near stem free of chocolate.

~ Place on waxed paper and continue until all strawberries have been coated. Make sure to stir chocolate every third or so strawberries to keep smooth and melted.

~ If double dipping, allow first layer to cool, then dip strawberry again in desired second layer.

~If adding stripes, or swirls, take the plastic bottle and fill with candy of choice. Melt in microwave for 15 seconds at a time, making sure to smooth out any chunks in between cooking times. BE CAREFUL GETS HOT VERY FAST! WILL ALSO BURN QUICKLY. Take bottle and quickly squeeze over desired areas.

~Fully cool in refrigerator before moving into airtight container.

~Will keep for several days refrigerated in an airtight container... if you let them.

How to: Make your own colored sugars

Colored sugars are a fun way to add color and texture to any project; however, with large quantities needed, or specific colors, it can be daunting to hunt for exactly what you need. Instead of running to your local craft store, grocery store, or neighbors house, why not make some? Its fun, easy, and much less expensive than buying it at the store.

Here's what you'll need:


~Granulated sugar (from course to extra fine its your call)
~Regular food coloring
~Large Ziploc Bag
~Waxed paper
~Cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan)
~Air tight storage container

What you do:

~Take the desired amount of granulated sugar and place in Ziploc bag. Drop a few drops of desired food coloring into bag (the more you add the deeper the color will be). I typically add between 2 and 6 drops of color (making RED or dark colors require much more).

~ Seal Ziploc bag tightly, with as little air as possible. Kneed the food coloring into the sugar, making sure to alternate sides of bag so you coat evenly. When color is fully coated there will be no chunks of colored sugar left.

~Place a sheet of waxed paper on top of the cookie sheet. Pour contents of Ziploc bag out onto wax paper, spread evenly, and allow to dry in cool, dry place. Usually a few hours. I make in the evening and dry overnight.

~When sugar is dry, break up to loosen sugar crystals, and place in airtight container.

Now you have made your very own colored sugars for your next project.