Melted Chocolate Pops

Ingredients/Materials Needed:
Ziplock Baggies (because they are strong)
Lollypop Sticks (or similar workings)
Jimmy Sprinkles (or something close, colored sugar, dots, smashed candy bits etc…)
Chocolate Bark (found in the cooking aisle in chocolate or white)
(Next try I’ll use a Hershey Bar)
Non-stick surface (I like using Release Foil, you could also use waxed paper, lightly
greased cookie pan…)
Cutting Board
Cookie Pan (or large plate—this is a base to carry the pops to the refrigerator later)
Scissors
Microwave


Set up your work area and your toddler. Get you work base together. I used a cookie tray and lined it with Release Foil. Place a few lollypop sticks on the foil - leaving yourself room to work. My first round I made 5 pops. Keep the sprinkles nearby.

Shave or cut up your bark and put it into a ziplock baggie (that you do not lock during heating) Let your toddler use a butter knife to help. Heat the chocolate baggie in a bowl or plate. Start with 45 seconds. Knead the chocolate through the baggie to help it melt. Heat in little increments till you feel it’s just right. Remember you don’t want to heat it so fast that you melt the baggie (if you are using white chocolate, you could add a few drops of food coloring and knead it through).


Place your toddler or other type of curtain crawler comfortably at the table so you can both work with the chocolate. Cut a tiny piece off the bottom corner of the baggie so you can squeeze out the chocolate. Tiny hands with yours, squirt a spiral of chocolate over the top area of the lollypop sticks, back and forth, swirl and cross over. About 2 inches across and up to a half inch thick puddle.


After all the pops are created, let your little one sprinkle the Jimmie’s or other decorative candy topping over the pops. This is the part they will most likely love.


Now its time to let the lollypops cool in the icebox, half hour or so will do. The longer they stay in the cold—the harder they’ll be. Chocolate Bark will re-harden nicely and is often used a decorative accent that will hold up well in room temperature. I will try other chocolate sources to see what else might work for this fun project.


Later, I went back to make pops from Ghirardelli Intense Dark. OMG! These taste good! They hardened well, not as room temp viable as Bark. I read somewhere that you can add paraffin wax to candy bar chocolate to harden better. So, later, someday, I’ll do this again! :)


If you plan to wrap these as gifts, get them real cold and hard first. Take thinner baggies and cut out a wrapper (see picture) place over the pop and secure with any favorite ribbon.



Victoria Swanson