So let's show our mothers how much we appreciate them by returning the favor. Chocolate roses are romantic, sweet, and gorgeous. Dads and kids, put on your aprons!

Chocolate Clay Ingredients

10 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped chunks or chips)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over hot water, stirring occasionally. To do this right, first bring the water to a boil, remove it from the burner, and place the bowl containing the chocolate on top. If necessary, return the pot of water to the burner on low heat.

Stir the corn syrup into the chocolate, mixing well and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold the syrup into the chocolate until you can no longer see the syrup and the mixture thickens into a ball. Using wax paper or plastic, pour and spread the mixture with the spatula until 1/2inch thick. For about two hours, let it sit and thicken uncovered at room temperature. Now it's ready for making your roses.

Chocolate Roses Instructions

Knead a handful of chocolate clay at a time on a counter or cutting board until it is soft and pliable like regular clay.

Roll the chocolate dough into twelve 1/2-inch diameter balls (for each full-size rose) and put them on waxed paper about 1 inch apart. Press each ball with your fingertips until it is a flat disk about the size of a quarter. Make the bottom thicker than the top.

Roll one disk into a cone to make the center of the rosebud, being sure to roll the thinner edge into the top of the cone. Wrap the next disk around the opening of the tepee and the third disk at the back of the tepee - this is the rose bud. Now continue adding one disk at a time as individual petals, gently curling the top edge slightly downward. You can leave some roses as rosebuds, then make various sizes, making them larger by adding more petals. If there is excess chocolate at the bottom of your roses, pinch it off with your fingers to make more balls.

For a day or two, let the roses harden at room temperature, then package them in airtight containers and store in a cool, dry place. To retain the best chocolate flavor, it is best not to store them in the refrigerator.

You can get fancy for Mothers Day if you like by using white chocolate and experimenting with adding food coloring. Or, decorate your chocolate roses by painting them with melted white chocolate.

Tulips are fun too, and are really pretty made with white chocolate and then painted.

To make larger roses, start with larger chocolate balls.