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Now that you know what you need to get started making chocolate Easter candy from chocolate molds, and have selected your chocolate molds, it is time to get started with the actual candy making!

Melting the Chocolate
When melting chocolate for chocolate molds, I find it is best and easiest to use candy melts that are specifically prepared for melting and mold use. If you prefer to use chocolate chips, semi-sweet chips or dark chocolate chips, you will need to add a little paraffin to the melted chocolate to help it stay better and maintain a glossy appearance. Paraffin can usually be purchased in the canning supplies, make sure it is food grade paraffin. Simply shave off some paraffin and add it to the melted chocolate and stir until well blended. It does not affect the taste, but it will make a big difference in the finished product.

There are a couple of ways to melt chocolate. To melt using a double boiler (preferred method) simply melt the chocolate over a double boiler. You can make a double boiler by simply placing a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water. Turn the heat down so the water is simmering. Gently stir the chocolate with the spatula until it is completely melted. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave oven in a microwave-safe bowl – however sometimes it is difficult to get a smooth glossy appearance when using the microwave.

The target temperature for the chocolate is about 110 degrees F (or 45 degrees C). When the chocolate is the correct temperature, remove it from the heat, dry the bottom of the bowl, and then add 4 more ounces of finely chopped chocolate and stir it vigorously until it is melted. This gives it a glossy, smooth appearance.

Of course you can simply use a heat proof bowl on a pan of boiling water or in the microwave, but if you forget to stir, or if the chocolate gets to hot, well, you have a mess on your hands. Sometimes it is easier to just take the guess work out of melting chocolate with a chocolate melter. These melters are great for speeding up the chocolate melting process, make clean-up easier and make everything about chocolate candy making less of a hassle.

The Finishing Touches on Your Chocolate Easter Candy
There are many ways to finish off your chocolate Easter Candy. First, you can decorate the chocolate candy that you have already made. You can use either toothpicks and melted colored candy or icing to trace and decorate the candy. You can also use special candy brushes to make fine decorating details. The brushes can even be used before you pour the chocolate in the mold to brush on colored chocolate before you pour the rest of the chocolate into the mold.

If you selected a lollipop mold you will need sticks, which will have to be inserted before the candy hardens. You can also purchase cellophane bags and ties to individually wrap your chocolate Easter creations. Make sure that you use food grade cellophane bags though, not just any cellophane bag you find laying around. They are pretty inexpensive, and look prettier than simply using sandwich bags.

Once you have put the finishing touches on your chocolate Easter candy, you are ready to hand them out or eat them yourself! Happy Easter!

Article by Stefani Padilla, author, entrepreneur, home based business owner, wife and mom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stefani_Padilla

Chocolate and Easter go together as much as Easter eggs and baskets. Why not combine the different elements and learn how to make your own chocolate Easter candy? Your children can help make and decorate the chocolates. Making your own chocolate Easter candy is a great Easter activity to hep you enjoy more time with your kids.

Chocolate Easter candy can be made with any type of chocolate. Using dark or milk chocolate may be the easiest. However, if you would like to try your hand at making pastel eggs, choose white chocolate and add food coloring to create the shades you like. You can also purchase pre-colored white chocolate to make things easier. The colored chocolates are great for decorating, even if you prefer to make your candy out of dark or milk chocolate. You can also add extra ingredients such as nuts, fruit pieces, or peanut butter to make your chocolate candy even more custom made.

Getting Started
There are a few basic ingredients that you will need in order to make your chocolate Easter candy. Using higher quality chocolate will result in better tasting chocolate eggs; however, you can use any type you have. I find that it is easiest to purchase candy disks that were made specifically for melting and molds. Here is a short list of the basics you will need:

* Whatever chocolate you want to use
* Double boiler or microwave oven in which to melt the chocolate
* Heatproof bowl
* Candy molds in the shape of eggs, or a deviled egg tray
* Rubber spatula to stir the chocolate
* Pastry bag or plastic bag with a hole in the corner for piping chocolate
* Any decorations or extras you want to include

Now all you have to do is melt the chocolate, pour it into the molds, and release! There really is no end to how creative you can get depending on the molds and colors you choose. You can go as simple as solid colored eggs to three dimensional bunnies and more! Have fun with your choices!

Choosing the Right Chocolate Mold
When you first decide to start making chocolate Easter candy from chocolate molds, of course the first thing you must do is purchase a mold. While it is possible to use other types of food molds you may have around the house, for the best results, select a mold that was made specifically for chocolate.

Another mistake that people often make when they select their candy molds, is they go for the cutest molds with the most intricate details. In many cases this may be their first and last attempt at making their own chocolate Easter candy. As simple as making chocolate Easter candy from molds is, there is still an art and level of skill required. So for your first chocolate making endeavour, try to select molds that are of moderate size (no smaller than a quarter, no larger than a couple of inches) and that have few details, or at least those with large details as opposed to smaller finer details. The one from Fuzzy Bunny shown in the picture is a great starter mold for both variety, size and cuteness!

Use the manufacturers recommendations when using the chocolate molds, however, I often will rub a little vegetable oil on the molds before I use them (using very little oil – it should not pool in the bottom of the mold, only give the mold a shiny appearance.) You can get some great candy mold making tips here. Also, since you will be refrigerating your molds as they harden, I clean out my refrigerator of aromatic leftovers – that garlic smells good in the stew, but it won’t be so great smelling on your chocolate. Also, make sure you have plenty of space to place the molds while they harden. Some people recommend hardening chocolate in the freezer to reduce the occurrence of smells as well as to speed the process, but I think the best results occur when using the refrigerator.

Article by Stefani Padilla, author, entrepreneur, home based business owner, wife and mom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stefani_Padilla

My favorite part of Easter when I was growing up was dyeing eggs. It was even more fun to me than hunting them. I loved seeing how creative I could get with those five glasses of dye and that one wax crayon! As an adult, I still love dyeing eggs with my children, and last year, I tried to look or a way to make it educational as well. So when I discovered that rather than purchasing your egg dye you can actually make it yourself, I had to try it! It was like a science and chemistry lesson all rolled up in an earth-friendly craft! And best of all, my kids loved it! This year they want to see what else in our yard and refrigerator can be used as natural egg dye! And although natural egg dyes are not as vivid as artificial dyes (no real neon colors found in nature!) they are every bit as beautiful.

You can make your natural egg dyes from a variety of foods, flowers and plants. The dye is transferred to the egg either while boiling the eggs or, as with normal dyes, after the eggs have been hard-boiled. When boiling the dye with eggs, be aware that you will be limited to the number of colors you can do at once by the number of burners your stove has (or the number of pots you have!)

All you do to dye the eggs while boiling, is place enough water in the pan to cover the egg (or eggs.) Simply add the coloring ingredients to the water and turn on the heat to boil. You can include a teaspoon of vinegar for deeper colors.

If your children are young, and you would rather dye the eggs after they have been boiled, you can do that as well. This method may take a bit longer, but it is safer for smaller egg artists. Simply boil the eggs, and then once they have cooled, add them to a cup with enough water to cover the eggs (you can use a bowl if you want to do more than one at a time.) Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the container and add the dyeing ingredients. Allow the eggs to sit in the dye in the refrigerator until they are the desired color.

Here are some suggested ingredients you can use to create the colors you want for your naturally dyed eggs. Once you have mastered the process, feel free to experiment with other ingredients for different colors!