When it comes to gifts for Valentine's Day and other romantic occasions, roses and candy are right up there with jewelry. You're on your own with the diamonds, but here's an idea that marries candy and roses. (Do you like how I worked in the word "marries" there?) These roses fashioned from Starburst candies look absolutely beautiful, yet are so easy to make. And for those who are proud to be single, the candy roses are perfect to give to friends, or to enjoy all to yourself.
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Things You'll Need
Starburst candies
Parchment paper
Glass with flat bottom
6-inch treat sticks
Step 1: Soften Candies
Unwrap the Starburst candies, and place them in the microwave oven for five seconds. The key is to soften them, not cook them. You will need between six to nine candies per rose, depending on how many petals you would like. The candies will stay soft and pliable for about 15 minutes. If they harden, just pop them back in the microwave oven for another five seconds.
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Step 2: Roll Candies into Balls
Place the softened candies between your palms, and roll them around to shape them into balls.
Step 3: Flatten the Candies
Place each ball of candy between two pieces of parchment paper, and flatten them with the bottom of a glass. They will be about the size of a quarter.
Use your fingers to continue flattening the candy petals until they are between 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. The more irregular the shape and edges, the more realistic the rose will be.
Step 4: Wrap Inner Petal Around Stem
Roll the first petal tightly around a 6-inch treat stick, with the top of the stick around the midway point of the petal. You can purchase treat sticks in the baking department of crafts store. Pinch the bottom where the petal meets the stem to secure it.
Step 5: Attach Additional Petals
Attach the second petal by loosely wrapping it around the first one. Again, pinch the petal at the bottom to secure it to the stick.
Overlap the second petal with a third, and you can see a rose is beginning to form.
Continue overlapping petals, pinching them at the bottom so they stay on the stem. After six petals, the rose will look full. Try not to have more than nine petals so the rose does not get too top heavy.
Step 6: Shape the Petals
Although the candy rose already looks impressive, shape the petals to make them look more realistic by slightly pinching and curling them at the tips.
Step 7: Display and Enjoy
To display them, fill a glass with jelly beans. The jelly beans will help hold the stems upright. You can also use other small candies like M&Ms or Skittles.
Insert the stem of the candy rose into the glass of jelly beans.
Place about six candy roses in the glass, and you'll have a beautiful bouquet.
