Sweet Trees

Edible chocolate covered sweet trees.

Non edible item required:

7 cm polystyrene ball
Small flower pot or tea light holder
12 inch wooden dowling rod(diameter 1 cm)
Spare piece of dowling for dipping
Plaster of Paris
Decorative ribbon 2 metres


Ingredients

240 g milk chocolate
30 g white chocolate
Sweets (smarties, m&m's or maltersers )

Method:

1. Wrap the ribbon around the dowling rod and secure both ends with sticky tape.
2.  Make plaster of Paris as per packet instructions and once it has been mixed half fill the pot with the plaster of Paris.(Do not overfill pot as the plaster will expand and crack the pot if you overfill)

3. Immediately push the dowling that is covered with ribbon into the plaster of Paris and hold it steady and making sure its is straight in the centre of the pot. The plaster of Paris will set very quickly.
4. Leave the pot to one side for the plaster of Paris to harden completely.
5. Wipe clean the polystyrene ball and using a sharp knife, pierce a hole in the bottom of the ball about 2 cm deep.
6. Using the spare dowling gently push it into the hole.(This will used to hold as we dip the ball.)
7. In double boiler place the chocolate and melt it.

 

8.Once chocolate has melted, dip the polystyrene ball into the chocolate by holding it from the dowling.Tap the rod to shake off any extra chocolate and leave the chocolate to set on the ball. 
9. Once chocolate is set repeat this procedure again so that the chocolate covered ball is re dipped in chocolate.Leave the chocolate to set on the ball.
10. Once again dip the chocolate covered ball into the chocolate for the third  and final time.Shake off extra chocolate and leave to set fully.Once chocolate is set place the ball into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. after which take the chocolate covered ball out of the freezer.and place it on a tea towel.
11. Gently twist the chocolate covered ball off the dowling and place it on the dowling that has been set in the pot.
11. Slightly cool the melted chocolate so that it thickens a little.

12. Dip sweets of your choice in the cooled chocolate and stick them to the chocolate ball..

  

13.One the ball is totally covered in the sweets place the sweet tree in the fridge to fully set the chocolate.
14. After 30 minutes remove the sweet tree form fridge and tie a piece of ribbon on the dowling.(If desired melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the sweet tree.

15. Fill the flower pot with remaining sweets.
Sweet tree is ready, to give as a gift ,wrap in cellophane and secure with ribbon.