By Meg Hodson
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Being a wedding business owner, I love beautifully wrapped, intricate gifts, so it's no wonder that I go up and beyond for Valentine's that stand out for my kids.
A few years back, I took it too far and made gumball necklaces for ALL the girls in my daughter's class. Well, they were adorable, but a lot of work. That project will be for individual gifts going forward! It was time to brainstorm ideas that still were handmade, but a little less work.
Enter "You Warm My Heart" Valentines! These have a personal touch, but are very easy to make and it's easy for the kids to help out, too. The hearts are hot cocoa servings--simply dissolve one in warm milk for your hot cocoa! You don't need specialty items like chocolate melts or a candy thermometer. Here is what you will need:
- Valentine-themed flexible silicone ice cube mold or craft mold (available at a craft store, Target, eBay, Amazon, etc.); I used hearts. Each mold insert should be about 1-2 inches wide and about 1 inch deep.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (see recipes below for additional ingredients)
- Festive sprinkles
- Crushed peppermint candies
- Clear plastic bags
- Stapler or hot glue gun
My daughter and I decided to create 2 recipes: Mexican Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Hot Chocolate.
Mexican Hot Chocolate (For 10 Small Molds)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. himalayan salt OR 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Peppermint Hot Chocolate (For 10 Small Molds)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tsp. himalayan salt OR 1/2 tsp. sea salt
For either recipe, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. Alternately, you can melt in a glass measuring cup in a microwave (heat for 30 secs, check and stir, repeat until melted). Your mixture should be thick and creamy. With a small spoon, take a small scoop and gently shake the melted chocolate into each mold. Smooth the top as best you can, but if it's a little uneven, that's okay. Gently coat the top of each mold with your Valentine sprinkles (crushed peppermint for the peppermint hot cocoa). Don't overcoat! Put in the refrigerator and let set for 30-40 minutes. Then, remove gently.
Choose the clear cello or plastic bag of your choice. We decided to do 2 hot cocoa melts, one of each flavor. We also added a few mini marshmallows. Our bags are 3 inches wide. Print off the complimentary toppers for your bags. I've provided numerous sizes, depending on what size bag you use. Cut the toppers out evenly and fold in half. There is a convenient "to" and "from" area for your child to address their Valentines. Hold across the top of your bag and staple or hot glue each bottom corner to the bag. Have fun!
--To download the 400x400 size, CLICK HERE
--To download the 300x300 size, CLICK HERE
--To download the 275x275 size, CLICK HERE
--To download the 175x175 size, CLICK HERE
**Instead of printing directly from Google Drive, I recommend downloading the graphics as a PDF and saving to your computer, then printing.**
