After doing the Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit with the kids, I knew they would love to try making chocolate! Of course, it was a hit! (Want to have some educational, edible fun too? Don’t miss the discount code below!)
I received the Make Your Own Chocolate Kit free of charge for review/giveaway purposes. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not required to post a positive review of the product.
Inside the Box
I love these little kits made by Glee Gum because they come with everything you need (aside from the obvious, like bowls, spoons, and a heat source). The Make Your Own Chocolate Kit even included a cute little adhesive thermometer! We did need to supply a few optional things like vanilla and “goodies” to add to our chocolate, like nuts and marshmallows.
The following was neatly tucked inside the box:
-
instructions
-
cocoa butter
-
paper candy liners
-
starter crystals
-
cocoa powder
-
confectioner’s sugar
-
temperature indicator
-
whole cocoa bean (for observing)
Since we have experience with the Make Your Own Candy Kits, the kids eagerly began reading the directions and got started while I tried to snap a few pics!
Making Our Own Chocolate
They melted the cocoa butter (yellow) and added the confectioner’s sugar (white) and cocoa powder (brown).
They mixed and mixed until all the lumps disappeared.
They heated the mixture and used the included, adhesive thermometer and waited for the temperature to reach 94 degrees.
While we waited for the temperature of the chocolate to cool to 94 degrees, we read the other side of the instructions, which was a story explaining a bit of the history of chocolate.
They also observed and tried to eat take a small bit of the cocoa bean!
While they waited, they also prepared a pan and candy liners with goodies to add to our chocolates! They chose nuts, m&m’s, peanut butter, graham crackers, and marshmallows.
I was quite impressed with the little thermometer. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about it working, but just as the instructions said, we had to wait about 15 minutes and sure enough, the chocolate had reached 94 degrees; as indicated by the green square!
They added the starter crystals and stirred some more.
Then they poured the chocolate into the prepared candy liners.
And we put them in the fridge to harden.
And, voila! Our very own homemade chocolate candies!
How Did They Turn Out?
They candies were a rich, dark chocolate! My kids are used to milk chocolate, so the taste was a bit of a surprise to them. Regardless, they were still thrilled that they had made their own chocolate candies. We had the best results with the marshmallows, nuts, and m&m’s.
What I Liked Most
In addition to the history of chocolate, there was also an explanation of why chocolate needs to be “tempered” or treated with heat so that it forms crystals, This is what makes candy bars crack! I love how making the chocolate turned into not only a history lesson, but a science lesson too!
Purchase the Make Your Own Candy Kits:
The folks at Glee Gum have a special treat for my readers! Head over to their site and get 15% off EVERYTHING from now through December 31, 2014.* Use Promo Code: GLEE15CC
* Enter discount codes in the lower left of your shopping cart on GleeGum.com. This promotion is exclusively available on web sales. Offer ends 12/31/14 at 11:59 pm ET.
Mirtha
Kids won’t say no to chocolates and I’m sure that they would love to join this activity. This will allow them to learn and at the same get a taste of their favorite treat.
Mama Jenn
You are so right Traci! I love when learning is fun (and tasty)!!!
Mama Jenn
Chewing gum was lots of fun too! You should definitely try it! Next up for us are the gummies!!