Mother's Day Chocolate Roses

Our mothers feed us once, then again and again, anddiameter balls (for each full-size rose) and put them
forever we experience comfort whenever a womanon waxed paper about 1 inch apart. Press each ball
close to our hearts cooks for us.with your fingertips until it is a flat disk about the size
So let's show our mothers how much we appreciateof a quarter. Make the bottom thicker than the top.
them by returning the favor. Chocolate roses areTo make the center of the rose, roll one disk into
romantic, sweet, and gorgeous. Dads and kids, put onwhat looks like a tepee, rolling the thinner edge
your aprons!tightly into the top of the tepee. Wrap the next disk
Chocolate Clay Ingredientsaround the opening of the tepee and the third disk at
10 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely choppedthe back of the tepee - this is the rose bud. Now
chunks or chips)continue adding one disk at a time as individual petals,
1/3 cup light corn syrupgently curling the top edge slightly downward. You
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over hot water,can leave some roses as rosebuds, then make
stirring occasionally. To do this right, first bring thevarious sizes, making them larger by adding more
water to a boil, remove it from the burner, and placepetals. If there is excess chocolate at the bottom of
the bowl containing the chocolate on top. If theyour roses, pinch it off with your fingers to make
chocolate cools and thickens too much, return themore balls.
pot of water to the stove over low heat.For a day or two, let the roses harden at room
Stir the corn syrup into the chocolate, mixing well andtemperature, then package them in airtight containers
scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold theand store in a cool, dry place. To retain the best
syrup into the chocolate until you can no longer seechocolate flavor, it is best not to store them in the
the syrup and the mixture thickens into a ball. Usingrefrigerator.
wax paper or plastic, pour and spread the mixtureYou can get fancy for Mothers Day if you like by
with the spatula until 1/2inch thick. For about twousing white chocolate and experimenting with adding
hours, let it sit and thicken uncovered at roomfood coloring. Or, decorate your chocolate roses by
temperature. Now it's ready for making your roses.painting them with melted white chocolate.
Chocolate Roses InstructionsTulips are fun too, and are really pretty made with
Knead a handful of chocolate clay at a time on awhite chocolate and then painted.
counter or cutting board until it is soft and pliable likeTo make larger roses, start with larger chocolate
regular clay.balls.
Roll the chocolate dough into twelve 1/2-inch