Things You'll Need:
- Wilton's rose lollipop mold
- Wilton white, milk, and/or dark melting pieces or other chocolate of your choice
- Flavorings (optional)
- Food coloring
- Lollipop sticks
- Lollipop bags or plastic wrap
- Colored foil
- Ties or tape
- Ribbon in colors to match your roses
- Green floral tape
- Floral wire
- Double boiler or microwave
- Microwaveable bowls (if you are using the microwave)
- Wooden and metal spoons
- Rose box or vase
- Floral foam
- Tissue paper
- Decorating filler like real or artificial baby's breath, silk or real flowers or greenery
- Counter top or table space
- Cookie sheet
- Refrigerator
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Step 1
Decide what type of roses you want to make. Wilton makes rose candy molds with various types and sizes so the decision regarding which you choose is totally up to you. Large rosebud molds will make more of an impact and look equally good boxed or put into a vase.
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Step 2
Decide the color(s) of roses that you want to make. Your choice of colors is only limited by your imagination since food coloring pastes and liquids can be mixed and match to make virtually any color of the rainbow. Choose a favorite color, opt for the standard red rose, or mix it up by making bouquets of multiple colors. If you prefer, stick to solid chocolate colored roses in milk or dark chocolate and then cover the finished candy with colored tin foil.
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Step 3
Decide if you want to flavor the chocolate. I like using flavors like raspberry, mint and coffee to add just a little extra punch to some of my bouquet's roses. Flavorings are not necessary if you are going to use a high quality chocolate.
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Step 4
Decide what type of chocolate you want to use for the roses. Many people use the Wilton melting pieces because the chocolate is good and the pieces melt properly without any problem. They also take flavoring very well, which some chocolate mixtures do not. However, the choice is totally up to you. If the person you are making the bouquet for is a Dove fanatic, then don't be afraid to use her favorite Dove chocolate. Nestle and Hershey's also melt well, as do many of the grocery store melting chocolates.
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Step 5
Decide how you are going to present the rose bouquet. You can either box the roses like florists often do or you can arrange a rose bouquet. Also decide if you intend to put anything in the bouquet with the roses, like real or artificial baby's breath, silk flowers, or whatever else you might choose. These decisions you make will have an impact on the supplies that you will need to complete your rose bouquet.
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Step 6
If you have not already done so, make a trip to the store to purchase whatever products you need. Be sure to make a list before you head out so that you don't forget anything.
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Step 7
Decide what melting method you intend to use to melt the chocolate. It can be done either by using a double boiler or in the microwave. Using a double boiler will give you a smoother mixture as well as one that is easier to control for a longer period of time. Chocolate melted in the microwave has only seconds in the right consistency for molding.
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Step 8
Gather your supplies together when you are ready to start making your roses. Make certain that your candy molds are clean and ready to use. Open the various food colors and/or flavorings that you intend to use. Make sure that the lollipop sticks are easily accessible when you need them. Also make certain that you have sufficient room in your refrigerator to cool the roses before removing them from the molds. Leave nothing to chance that might delay the amount of time that you have to move your chocolate into the molds and prepare them for cooling. This is particularly critical when you are using a microwave melting procedure as the chocolate will begin to harden quickly once it is removed from the microwave.
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Step 9
Melt each different chocolate seperately, working with one at a time. Once you have completed the first chocolate, then move on to another. Start with the lightest chocolate first, finishing with the darkest chocolate.
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Step 10
Melt the white chocolate. Once it is smooth and of pouring consistency, you are ready to add any flavors or colorings. If you are making multiple colors like pink, red, yellow, and orchid, handle each color individually. Handle flavorings the same way. Mix the lightest colors first. End with the darkest colors.
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Step 11
Once you have the flavors and colors the way you want them, then pour the chocolate into the candy molds. Immediately put your lollipop stick into the mold slot made for it. Put the candy mold on to a cookie sheet and slide it into the refrigerator for cooling. Then move on to your next colors or flavors, repeating the same steps (except for coloring) until you have completed all of the roses you want for your bouquet.
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Step 12
Once the chocolate roses have sufficiently hardened, remove them from the candy mold and wrap them by putting them into lollipop bags, covering them with plastic wrap, or molding colored foil around them. Tie or tape the coverings closed as needed.
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Step 13
Add ribbon or other decorations like baby's breath, flowers, or greenery to each rose. If you want, you can tape the stick and the stems of decorations together with floral tape. Set each finished rose aside until you have completed all of the roses you intend to use for your bouquet. Once you have them all done, you can begin arranging them.
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Step 14
Make any planned boxed rose bouquets. If you are putting them into a rose box, first line the bottom of the box with tissue paper (usually green, although any color is acceptable). Then lay each rose into the box in an alternating length. If you are going to box them, I suggest using either six or an even dozen roses. They can be all one type of chocolate, flavor, or color or they can be mixed and matched as you please. Add more decor like baby's breath, flowers, and/or greenery to finish off the box. Close and tape the box shut, finishing it off with a ribbon and card on top.
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Step 15
Make any planned vase rose bouquets. The size of the vase may determine the number of roses and decorations that you use. A bud vase will typically hold two to three chocolate roses along with other decor like baby's breath, silk flowers, and/or greenery. You may need to tape all of the flowers together before inserting them into the bud vase so that they will stand up as you want them to. If you choose to use a larger vase, use no fewer than six roses and no more than 24. As a rule, an even dozen is ideal, particularly if you are going to add other decor like baby's breath or silk flowers and/or greenery. Arrange the chocolate roses just as you would read or silk ones, with some of them taller and some pushed further into the vase. The exact arrangement should be your own creation. Use floral foam in the vase to help you hold the roses in place, just as you would do with real flowers. Again, you can use roses that are all the same color, type of chocolate and flavor or mix and match as you choose. Be creative and build a bouquet that reflects who you are as an individual. Add a large bow to the vase, if you choose, by using florist wire around the box and then inserting it into the front of the bouquet.
