Another totally cute idea I found on Pinterest were these chocolate dipped strawberries made to look like Easter carrots. I LOVE strawberries! They are so easy to make at home that there is really no need in paying the insane prices they get for these. You just have to know how to properly use chocolate melts and you'll be making all the candy you can think of.
Basically, you mix the chocolate molds with some shortening or oil and let it heat up in a double boiler. Don't try to do this in a regular pan! Stir frequently until you have a smooth consistency that just barely starts to slide easily off a spoon. If you haven't worked with melts before, don't start with white chocolate (although for these, I did.) If you cook white chocolate too much, it will gum up really fast so I would start with a milk chocolate if you haven't done this before. You can color them whichever color you like. Most directions say to avoid water based coloring but I have honestly never had a problem with them because of the small amount used. If you are a newbie, the gel colors should be easier for you. All you do is put a small amount into your food with a tooth pick and stir. Dip the berries, holding the stems and let the excess chocolate slide off. You can wipe the berry on the side of the pot and use that as the side you lie flat, if you don't want the chocolate to create a pool around the base. Lay out onto wax paper.
Once all your berries are dried, spoon the leftover chocolate into a squeeze bottle and pour horizontal lines of chocolate over the berries to create your texture.
These should be stored in the fridge uncovered to prevent any cracking or sweating. You can do a large amount ahead of time and freeze them. Ripe, solid berries will preserve well in the freezer, just take care to freeze and unfreeze them slowly or they will surely crack. Store them in the refrigerator for several hours before transferring to the freezer. Then do the opposite when defrosting them. First place them in the refrigerator before exposing them to room temperature conditions. Make sure to serve them all within 24-48 hours as the frozen berries will get mushy faster than freshly dipped berries.
