Chocolate

Another unit study by Amanda Bennett that we have completed recently is about chocolate.  I let Logan pick out these studies and this is the first one he picked out.  We learned all about the process of making chocolate from the cacao tree to the candy bar.  It was an interesting study and at the end of the week there were some suggested activities to do as a family.  One suggestion was to take a field trip to a chocolate factory.  I looked up chocolate factories near us and found a place in Franklin, Tn called Schakolad Chocolate Factory.  It's not an actual chocolate factory, but it was a tasty and wonderful experience!  We all want to go back and do this again. 

Isn't this special??

I just love chocolate fountains!  I could really make a pig out of myself.

We tried chocolate from all over.  We got to eat chocolate straight from the cocoa seeds...gross!  We also tried some from Columbia and Madagascar. 

We got to be chocolatiers and decorate our own candy bars.

Our demonstration.

Classic from Landon.  He also made one for Debbie Foster...

Mamaw put a little chocolate on his nose.  I thought she was going to feed it to him. 

I almost freaked out.  haha.  We then got to coat oreos and vanilla wafers with chocolate and decorate them.  They had girly aprons for us to wear.  I can't believe the boys wore them.

I ♥ him.

We all got turns.  I especially enjoyed seeing Landon and dad in these aprons☺

Meanwhile, the boys snuck back over to the chocolate fountain.

It was a super evening!  I highly recommend going!!

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Another suggestion in our study was to host a chocolate party.  We had one this morning and I still feel a bit sick from the chocolate.  The kids had a great time and got to try LOTS of chocolate.

Yep, a lot of boys...nine to be exact.  Lots of fun having nine boys hyped up with chocolate☺  We watched a video on how chocolate is made.  We talked about some famous chocolatiers and did an activity on the types of chocolate. 

Then the part they were all waiting for...eating chocolate.  We had a taste test card that they were to write the type of chocolate, how it smelled, looked, and tasted.

The first sample was a bit chaotic.  It was 100 % dark chocolate.  I didn't try it before hand and

they were all about to die.  Lucas started crying because it was so bad.  They were all jumping around looking like they were going to gag and barf all over the place.  They made a beeline to

the trash can. 

This picture is blurry but it makes me laugh!!  I really wish I had this on video.  I have thought about this and laughed out loud today. 

This was Bray's response on his taste testing card.

After this fiasco, we had to make some adjustments.  The next sample was supposed to be 85% dark chocolate so we skipped it.  I had to regain their trust so we gave them white chocolate.  It was much better.  I was concerned about our other samples because I had dark chocolate with chili and orange but there weren't any near barfing incidents on those.

 

Decorating cookies in the chocolate fountain...

Trent lost a strawberry in there. 

The last thing on the agenda for our chocolate party was eating ice cream in a chocolate bowl. 

These weren't as easy to make as the video I watched appeared.

How to make your own chocolate bowls:

1.  Melt chocolate in the microwave in a glass bowl. 

2.  Blow up balloons, wash and dry them.  The video I watched suggested water balloons but they 

     DO NOT work. 

This is what you get when you use water balloons...a near heart attack from the pop and chocolate splattered all over your kitchen.  We had already blown them up so I let the boys pop them all. 

You need to use thicker balloons so they won't pop. 

3.  Put balloons in the melted chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

4.  Put these in the refrigerator to harden.  I let mine set over night just because I made them ahead of

     time.

5.  Pop the balloons and carefully remove the balloons from the bowl.

 

6.  Serve ice cream in your yummy edible chocolate bowl.