Say It With (Edible) Flowers

A few things we know about moms: they like an occasional treat, they love flowers, and they adore handmade gifts from their kids. Here is an activity that your kids can make for Mother’s Day, a garden pot filled with edible “flowers” that actually hits all these points. We’ve included three “types” of flowers for you to choose from, depending on whether mom likes chocolate, cookies or fresh fruit.

To make the pot you will need:

• 1 small pot for plants. While a terracotta pot will work, most craft stores have more decoratively glazed pots worth checking out.
• 1 block of dry-flower foam called Oasis (available at craft stores)
• 1 small bag of faux moss

Take the Oasis block and place it in the planter. Mark where the block hits the top of the planter, and cut the foam block so it is about 1-inch under the top of the pot. Cover with the faux moss.

To make the white chocolate flower you will need:

• 1 chocolate or candy mold for floral suckers
• 6 to 12 sucker sticks, depending on your mold count
• 1 1-pound bag white chocolate molding chocolate disks
• Food coloring.

1. Pour the white chocolate into a large glass bowl. Set up a bain marie by placing the glass bowl snuggly over a saucepan filled with about two inches of water.(The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.) Keep the heat at medium low and stir with a wooden spoon until the disks have melted.
2. Stir in a couple small drops food coloring and stir to color the chocolate.
3. Insert sticks in the base of the flower molds. Once the chocolate has melted pour into each of the flower molds.
4. Once filled, tap gently to remove any air bubbles. Take an offset (metal) spatula to scrape of any chocolate that is not in the flower molds (the plastic between the flowers should not have any chocolate on it.)
5. Refrigerate until set and arrange the chocolate flowers into the pot.

To make the sugar cookie flowers you will need: