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As Thanksgiving draws near, it’s easy to get swept up in the insanity that is holiday preparations. Is the turkey big enough for all twenty guests? And is Aunt Sue going to insist on bringing that corn casserole with the smell that makes everyone nauseous? The whirlwind seems endless.
Once the swirl of preparing for Thanksgiving threatens to take you away, it’s easy to temporarily neglect the littlest members of the family. But you can involve them in the preparations as well by starting a family tradition of making chocolates for Thanksgiving. These chocolate treats will wow your guests and add to both your holiday table and memories.
One of the easiest ways to make festive chocolates that will appeal to the children is to use chocolate molds. A wide variety of molds are available in almost every holiday shape and size. In a pinch, even novelty ice cube trays with holiday shapes will work. The kids will love the holiday shapes, and you’ll love the chocolate treats for your holiday table. Add them to holiday trays or as filler for cornucopias, and they’re both beautiful and delicious.
 Simply melt a pound of your favorite tempered chocolate to fill the molds.
You can use the oven, microwave, or a double boiler (or a pseudo double boiler comprised of a large pan and a stainless steel bowl). Pour the chocolate into the molds, filling them as high as you’d like the chocolates to be; a tray can support any depth of chocolates, so you can plan for either uniformity or some variance for visual interest. Tap the molds horizontally on your work surface to allow any bubbles to surface. Cool the chocolates, and then remove from the molds. If you want to make several batches, try refrigerating the chocolates when in the molds to allow for faster hardening.
To add even more fun to the chocolate-making festivities, try to make colored chocolates. After all, an orange pumpkin is much more suitable to the season than a chocolate-brown pumpkin. To make your own colored chocolates, start with white chocolate and get it melted. Then, slowly add food coloring – the key word being
“slowly”. Add a little color, then stir and see what you think. You can always add more coloring if needed. If you end up with a color that’s too bright for your tastes, add some more white chocolate to the mixture and wait until it’s all at the same consistency once again.
Another fun chocolate-making project for the whole family is chocolate bark. Several recipes exist and can be easily found online, but there are a few consistencies that are the highlights of this delectable treat. A swirl of melted white and semi-sweet chocolates, nuts, and sometimes berries, this chocolate confection is easy to make with several steps in which the kids can participate.
The final product makes for a great after-dinner treat, or even a goody bag to send home with your guests.
When it comes to involving the kids in your Thanksgiving preparations, it’s obvious that they can’t help you carve the turkey or chop bread for your favorite stuffing. However, they can help you make some delicious chocolates that your guests will rave about through the entire holiday season.
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