Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the weather is wintry – rainy, snowy or windy!  What better way to spend an indoor afternoon or morning making Valentine Lollipops with your Children.  Children very often make paper Valentine’s to give to their friends, but Chocolate ones are even better.  They taste good and Chocolate is good for you!

What you will need to make these treats is:

Candy (Heart-shaped Lollipop Molds) – available at your local Cake Decorating Store or Craft Shop such as Michael’s or JoAnn’s.

Pre-tempered Chocolates (Wilton’s) 

 A sheet of waxed paper or a flat pan to put the molds on.

A melting pot or double boiler  If you don’t have either you can make a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

To make the Pops first set up your molds.  Make sure they are clean and dry.  Water and chocolate do not mix and your pops will not set up properly.  The best thing to do is to wash and dry them 24 hours before you are going to use them.  When you are finished with them, wash (DO NOT USE SOAP) just hot tap water and dry and then after 24 hours place them in a sealed plastic bag so that the next you need them they will be ready to go.

Place the molds on the waxed paper or sheet pan.   Place the sticks in the molds (make sure that at least one inch of the stick is in the candy portion ) If you are using a Melting Pot place the Candy (the melting pots will hold a 12 oz. bag of candy) in the Melting Pot and set it to MELT.  Once the Candy has thoroughly melted turn the setting down to WARM.

Once the Candy has melted you can then spoon it into the molds.  Be sure and completely cover the Lollipop Sticks.  DO NOT fill the mold to the top.  Once they are about 3/4 full, stop and tap the molds to get rid of the Air Bubbles.  If there is still space left in the mold slowly add additional candy until the mold is full.

Allow at least an hour for the candy to set at room temperature or about 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15-20 in the freezer.

Once the Candy has set up turn the molds over onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper and gently press on the backs to un-mold.  If they are not going to be eaten right away place into bags (lollipop bags can be purchased at Cake Decorating Stores, Party Stores or Craft Stores).  Tie with red curling ribbon.  These lollipops are a great replacement for Valentines.

For heat loving Valentine recipients you can add a little bit of Chili Flakes (Old Boney Mountain Grotto Dust) available at http://www.oldboneymountainhotsaucecorp.com/