I saw this idea two years ago. That year, it was too late into winter to squeeze it in, and last year I just didn't have time. This year, though, it was on. I picked up the supplies at the last minute Saturday afternoon so Anna could help me do it while she was here.
What idea am I talking about? Right...I guess I should tell you about it. Hot Chocolate On A Stick is like the packs of powdered stuff you add to your mug to make hot chocolate, only for this version, it's in solid form and you stir it in until it melts. Clear as mud hot chocolate?
I originally found the idea on Giver's Log. I used her recipe to make the hot chocolate, but mimicked Sprinkle Bakes' idea for the presentation. I squeezed my hot chocolate into small square molds so it would set up in that shape. And, like Heather from Sprinkle Bakes, I used biodegradable wooden spoons instead of stirrers. Luckily I already had some from this party. I wish that I had thought ahead to order the chocolate transfer sheets like she did. Maybe next time.
I did not take step-by-step pictures of this process, so if you want to give it a try, you'll have to head on over to one of those blogs. They have lots of good tips and suggestions.
Once my hot chocolate had hardened, I decided to dip them in white chocolate and sprinkles. I wanted to try dipping them in peppermint or adding some flavor to the white chocolate, but I didn't have anything on had to experiment. Again, maybe next time. Anna was head dipper. She alternated between red and green sprinkles so that they'd be Christmas-y.
Here is the finished product after she dipped in sprinkles.
A better view of the top.
I thought these would make great gifts to friends that host us in their homes for parties, so I wrapped them individually in a small clear bag and curling ribbon in a coordinating color.
At the last minute, I decided they might need a tag explaining what they were and how to use them. I drew up a really cute tag on the computer but then my printer decided not to work. In the end, I had to write them out by hand.
I doubled the recipe when I made these so we ended up with a big pile of them.
Of course, I had to give one a try before giving them away. What if it didn't work? What if it tasted grody? I filled my mug with 6 oz. milk and 2 oz. water (heated) and plopped in a Hot Chocolate On A Stick.
I stirred and stirred until the chocolate melted away and, just like that, I had hot chocolate. It worked! Phew! And not only did it work, it also tasted pretty good. Not gourmet hot chocolate, but still pretty good. It helps the flavor if you drink it out of a festive holiday mug.
Now, less than a week later, all of our Hot Chocolate On A Sticks are gone. Guess I'll have to make another batch, and maybe this time I'll try my hand at mixing up some different flavors...