Tutorial: Chocolate Covered Oreos

Guess what I've been up to? Making LOTS of yummy treats for my daughter's upcoming birthday party. And one of those treats turned out so cute, I thought I'd go ahead and post a tutorial on how to do it all by yourself. Yes, you can do this! Chocolate covered Oreos with decorative chocolate toppers. And best of all.... it just looks hard, but really it's a pretty simple process. You'll have all of your guests thinking you're a genius.






Seriously, they're almost too pretty to eat. And here's the secret..... Chocolate covered Oreo molds and chocolate transfer sheets. The chocolate transfer sheets are pretty amazing. If you haven't seen these before, they are just plastic sheets covered with a mixture of cocoa butter and FDA approved food coloring and then etched with repetitive designs. By spreading a thin layer of melted chocolate over the sheets and allowing the chocolate to harden, you can create pastry-chef looking results with very little effort. Wow, right?



This is what you'll need:
Double stuff OreosChocolate candy coatingChocolate covered Oreo mold (I bought mine from Spinning Leaf on the web)

Chocolate transfer sheets (I bought mine from Fancy Flours on the web)

Circle cookie cutter just a bit smaller than the Oreo mold cavity

Step 1: Melt your chocolate candy coating in the microwave. Put a few squares of chocolate in a glass or ceramic bowl and place in the microwave on 50% power for about 1 minute. Take out, stir and put back in at 50% power for 15 seconds. Keep repeating until the chocolate is melted but be sure not to overheat - it will burn the chocolate and that is a definite no-no. We must not burn the chocolate! Never, ever waste chocolate.

Ever.

Step 2: Spoon some melted chocolate into your Oreo mold about a third of the way full. Place a Double Stuff Oreo cookie into the chocolate and press down until the top of the cookie is level and just a bit lower that the top of the mold.

Spoon more chocolate over the cookie until it is covered with chocolate. Tap the mold against your countertop to make sure all air bubbles are removed and that the chocolate has gotten down on the sides of the cookie. Next, take a offset spatula or some other flat and straight tool like the back of a large knife and scrape across to level the chocolate out.

Step 3: After filling each of the cookie mold cavities with an Oreo and chocolate and scraping across the top to level off each cookie, place the mold in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate has firmed up.

Turn the mold over and pop out each chocolate covered cookie. You'll be amazed how perfectly formed they are and how easy it was to make them.

Step 4: Next, take a sharp knife and run around the edge of the cookie to cut off any excess chocolate. Smooth all around the bottom edge with your fingers. (Uhh.... I think I forgot to tell you to wash your hands, but I'm hoping you did that way before Step 1.)

Step 5: Take your chocolate transfer sheet and cut off only the portion that you will be needing. My mold had 6 cavities so I cut a piece wide enough to cut out six circles that would fit on top of the chocolate covered Oreo cookie.

Step 6: Place the transfer sheet on top of piece of wax paper (I sprayed the bottom side of the wax paper with Pam cooking spray so that it wouldn't shift around the countertop). Next, pour out some of your melted chocolate on top of the chocolate transfer sheet.

Step 7: Carefully spread the chocolate to cover all of the transfer pattern with an offset spatula or the back side of a large knife. Spread the chocolate until you have a thin, even layer. (Note: Be careful not to shift the bottom layer of chocolate against the design too much -- I made the mistake of doing that and it broke up the design pattern a little.)

Allow the chocolate to set for 5 to 7 minutes or until it's no longer glossy but not completely firm and brittle. At this point, you can cut circles of the chocolate patterns to fit on top of your chocolate covered Oreos. Use a circle cookie cutter just a little smaller than the diameter of your Oreo and press into the thin layer of firmed chocolate. Press and turn the cookie cutter until you have punched out a circle of the chocolate transfer sheet.

Step 8: Put a small dab of melted chocolate on the back side of your patterned chocolate and apply the circle to the top of your chocolate covered Oreo.

Step 9: Repeat the whole process until you've made a plate full of beautiful cookies.

It's really that easy! I definitely recommend buying more than one Oreo cookie mold. Mine came with 6 cavities and it would have been much quicker and more efficient to have 12. But all in all, I was fascinated with the results and with all of the choices of chocolate transfers, it's truly something you could make for all kinds of parties.

I hope you all enjoyed this tutorial. I can't wait to show off some more of the fun ideas from my daughter's upcoming party. Wish me luck this week getting it all ready on time. I think I'm going to need it!

Linking up to: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping it Simple, Craftomaniac, Tater Tots and Jello,Skip to my Lou, Under the Table and Dreaming, Blue Cricket Design, Someday Crafts,Fireflies and Jelly Beans, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Tidy Mom,Romantic Home,Shabby Nest, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, The Girl Creative,Tater Tots and Jello, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors,Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie, The Idea Room, C.R.A.F.T., Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch,Thrifty Decor Chick, Making the World Cuter, Tea Rose Home, The Shabby Chic Cottage,The Trendy Treehouse, The DIY Showoff, Whipperberry,Gluesticks,Beyond the Picket Fence, Mad in Crafts, Sugar Bee Crafts, All Things Related, Savvy Southern Style, The Thrifty Home, Passionately Artistic

Easter Bunny Cupcakes!!

I wanted to make a simple little Easter treat and really didn't want to have to run out to the store, so I decided to use a few supplies that I had in the house. Yes, being in the party business means things like powdered donuts and M&Ms are almost always available when you need a sugar fix! So here he is.... Mr. Easter Donut Bunny!

This is what you'll need:

Cupcakes

Powdered donuts

Pink marshmallows (I used the heart kind because that's what I had, but you could also use the small pastel ones that you can find in stores now)

Black round sprinkles

Red mini M&Ms

Pink peanut M&Ms (or jelly beans would work, too)

Small white marshmallows

Toothpicks

Karo syrup (light corn syrup)

Clean paintbrushes

Uncooked angel hair pasta noodles (or spaghetti noodles)

Black food coloring

Colored coconut (or you could use green sparkling sugar or green sprinkles for grass)

Can of white frosting (to act as glue)

Step 1: Add a little colored coconut to the top of your cupcake (you can color coconut by placing a little green food dye in a small plastic container with a lid and adding coconut - then put the lid on and shake until the coconut is dyed). Put a donut on top of your cupcake and insert a toothpick into another donut and stand it on top of the first donut.

Step 2: Cut another donut in half to make bunny ears.

Step 3: Add a half of a toothpick to each ear and stick them on top of your middle donut.

Step 4: Add a little white frosting to the center of your middle donut.

Step 5: Make a nose by placing a pink peanut M&M or a jelly bean into the icing and hold for a minute until it sticks.

Step 6: Cut a small white marshmallow in half for the eyes. Next, add a little Karo syrup to your marshmallow with a paintbrush and adhere a round black sprinkle to the center for an eyeball. If you can't find round black sprinkles (I get mine around Halloween at Walmart), just use a black edible marker to make a pupil or you could just use chocolate chips for the eyes. Now add a little white frosting the back of your marshmallow and place it on your bunny face above the nose. Repeat for the other eye.

Step 7: Cut your pink heart marshmallow in half and pinch the sticky side together to make the marshmallow rounded. Add frosting to the back side and place under the bunny's nose to make cheeks. Repeat for the other cheek.

Step 8: Add a mini red M&M in the middle of the cheeks for a tongue. You can attach it with a little frosting.

Step 9: Use a clean paintbrush to brush some black food coloring onto a piece of uncooked angel hair pasta (or spaghetti noodle). Wipe off the excess with a paper towel, and then cut your noodle into pieces about 1.5" long. Use a toothpick to make 3 small holes on each side of the bunny's cheeks and place the noodle inside the hole with a little frosting.

Step 10: Pat yourself on the back -- YOU DID IT!!

Isn't he cute?? And simple enough for the kids, too! And best of all.... NO BAKING!!! I hope you enjoyed today's little Easter project.

Have a great weekend!

Linking up to: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, Craftomaniac, Tater Tots and Jello, Skip to my Lou, Under the Table and Dreaming, Blue Cricket Design, Someday Crafts, Fireflies and Jelly Beans, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Tidy Mom, Romantic Home,Shabby Nest, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, The Girl Creative,Tater Tots and Jello, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors,Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie, The Idea Room, C.R.A.F.T., Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch

Rainbow Sherbert Cakes

When I first saw the photo of this gorgeous dessert, a Rainbow Sherbert Cake from Capitol Charlotte, I couldn't get it out of my mind. Normally, I'm a bit of a choc-o-holic, but there's something about a few glimpses of spring that have made me go ga-ga for sherbert lately. So I did a little searching and found even more pretty sherbert desserts,

perfect for those Easter buffets we're all planning.

How about this beautiful Rainbow Sorbet Cake from Martha Stewart.

Wow, what a presentation!

And this beautiful version from Pillsbury as seen on Cute Everything

made with layers of angel food cake.

And another version from A Bitt of Raw... so pretty!

Isn't this one yummy looking from Delightful Desserts? So delicate and sweet.... this one would be beautiful for a little girl's tea party.

This jelly roll version from Betty Crocker also uses angel food cake

wrapped around three colors of sherbert.

How cool is this Rainbow Ice Cream cake from Taste of Home. Much simpler than it looks, ladies -- don't be intimidated. Just press a ring of sherbert inside of a circular pan and keep repeating for the various colors. After freezing, cut the circle in half and then place the two pieces back to back to create this fun dessert.

And just in case you aren't quite over the cupcake craze yet, Just Jenn Recipes has a sweet, bite-size sherbert treat.... Mini Rainbow Sherbert Cupcakes.

Aren't these great? And best of all, E-A-S-Y!!

Rainbow Jello Recipe

Take a look at this RAINBOW JELLO from Funky Polka Dot Giraffe. Too cute!

Wouldn't this be perfect for so many kinds of spring parties.... anything colorful with rainbows like garden parties, rainbow parties, or even Wizard of Oz parties. You could even go more pastel for Easter parties. Oh, I get so excited when I think of all the ways to use colorful food! Having a Buzz Lightyear party? How about a blue, green, yellow and orange jello combo. A Strawberry Shortcake party.... red, pinks and white. A pool party.... different shades of blues...... this recipe is so versatile.

So now for the how-to.....

RAINBOW JELLO INGREDIENTS:

- Five 6 oz boxes of Jell-O in 5 different colors
- Two boxes of Knox Gelatin
- One can sweetened condensed milk

Mix 3 packages of Knox gelatin in 1 1/2 cups boiling water until dissolved. Add sweetened condensed milk to Knox gelatin mixture and set aside. Mix 3 packages of Knox gelatin with 1 1/4 cups boiling water until dissolved and set aside. Dissolve 1 box of Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water. (She started with blue because she wanted it on the bottom. You may begin with the color of your choice.) Add 1/4 cup of the Knox gelatin mixture to the Jell-O and pour into a 9"x13" glass dish.

Let the Jello layer set in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Pour 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk mixture over the Jell-O layer. Let sweetened condensed milk layer set up in refrigerator for about 10 minutes. While waiting, repeat Step 3 with the next color.

Repeat Steps 3-7 with the remaining four flavors. (NOTE: Don't try speeding up the process by using the freezer).

{ NEW } Easter Printables!

Hippity Hoppity..... Easter's On It's Way!

I'm so excited to give you a few sneak peeks of my brand new EASTER PRINTABLES Collection..... Adorable Easter printables for all of your Easter parties, brunches and of course, Easter Egg Hunts!

There are so many cute items for food toppers like these 2" designs featuring a cross,

a silhouette of a bunny, an Easter egg and "Happy Easter."

The drink wraps feature pastel polka dots with multi-color bunny silhouette....

here I also used some of the lavender polka dot papers that come with the collection

to create a scalloped border around the drink wraps.

To add a little whimsy, I love using the striped flags that come with the collection to wrap around straws, toothpicks or even various desserts such as cookie, cake or marshmallow pops.

One of my favorite items are these bunny silhouette cutouts which are so versatile.

Here I've hot glued them to a toothpick and added a cute white pom pom for a bunny tail.

I love them as sweet food toppers such as for these marshmallow cookies, but they could also be used as tags on favor bags or for Easter crafts.

Here I used the pastel polka dot cupcake wraps and the striped flags that come with the collection to make an easy Easter basket favor for the kids. These would be sweet wrapped in cellophane and given to preschool or even Sunday school classmates.

First, I glued a small piece of styrofoam to the bottom of a nut cup (you can buy these at the craft store on the cake decorating aisle). This is for anchoring the Easter suckers (Dollar Tree). Next, I wrapped a cupcake wrap around the nut cup and secured it on the back with a piece of scotch tape. Then I used the striped straw flags as a basket handle and glue it in place. I filled the nut cups with green shredded Easter grass and added a few chocolate Easter eggs.

The "Happy Easter" banner that comes with the collection has cross, bunny and Easter egg

end pieces which makes it perfect for any kind of Easter celebration. And how fun

are these Easter egg cutouts that could be used for cupcake toppers as in the photo above

or for crafts and favor tags, too.

Wrapping yummy Easter cookies and adding this "Happy Easter" favor tag would be

the perfect send off for your Easter guests.

The collection is in the SHOP now at 60% OFF for only $10.00

and includes 31 Easter printables files!

So grab your set today and get a jump start on your Easter celebrations!

Rocket Ship CAKE PUSH POPS!

It's so much fun to discover new party ideas and these cake push pops are one of the best I've seen in a while.

Kate Petronis from And Everything Sweet made these ADORABLY CREATIVE rocket ship cake push pops for her client's Toy Story birthday party. Little Hayden was turning two and his mom wanted him to have a special treat for his birthday. I still can't get over how cute these are!

Kate used these disposable plastic cake push pops tubes (now sold out from all the party lovers trying to horde them!), and stuffed them with layers of cake and icing. Next she turned them into perfect little rocket ships using a few pieces of craft foam and some orange and yellow tissue paper for fire.

And that's not all..... Look how cute Hayden's rocket ship smash cake is!

That Kate is one talented girl!

And if you're like me and can't get enough of this cute idea, Kate has another blog post with more cute CAKE PUSH POPS like these pirate themed pops.....

And these sweet little Princess Party Pops. I love how easy these are to make.... no painstaking steps to perfect your royal icing techniques..... just layer it all in and voila! You're a genius!

Now if they would just get these babies back in stock!