Good idea...if eventually eaten. Don't like the idea of wasting food.

Many craft stores (Ben Franklins, Michael's, even Walmart I think) and kitchen stores sell what they call "bark" which is in two forms -- chunks/bars and "drops" -- to melt and put into molds. They are already in a variety of colors, but I'm sure you can add food coloring to the white bark. I'm thinking you could let them draw a simple design with dark lines or use a pre-drawn picture for younger kids, place wax paper or something clear and heavy (overhead transparency?) on it, then paint within the lines. Once hardened they could easily peel it off and eat.

I like this idea and just might have to give it a try!

As a food network groupie, I have to say that I think the materials used for painting with chocolate is pure cocoa butter, not white chocolate or bark -- which would be way too thick. I am not exactly sure where you get pure cocoa butter, but I'm guessing it's not at Walmart.

Also, you should know that working with chocolate is one of the most difficult mediums to work with -- just a little moisture and chocolate will seize up on you, heat it too hot and it remains soft and won't reset. Again, not sure about the cocoa butter. The stuff you buy at Walmart for dipping pretzels and the like has additives to make this problem less likely, but again, is probably too thick to paint.

Lisa

If you do decide to try and color the white bark, you will need to purchase candy coloring, or powdered food coloring. Regular food coloring is water based and will cause the 'chocolate' to crystalize. Rather than 'painting' with the chocolate, you might want to put the chocolate into pastry tubes or plastic bags with a corner removed and have them draw with the chocolate. This technique can be found in many cake decorating books as a way to make figures for cakes. One could also use royal icing made with powdered egg whites to make 3-D figures that represent a story

PEEP ART

 

(could be a drama workshop idea too)

 

From Heather Fogle's Rotation Art Workshop...

 

 

(click to enlarge)

 

You can buy pure cocoa butter online -- I've used it for making lotions, but it's a bit pricey. Also, if you add coconut oil to chocolate as it is melting it definitely thins it out and also gives you a little more "working" time before it hardens.

 

I love the idea of placing a picture underneath for the younger kids to trace or use as a guide.

 

Fun and YUM!

 

Jaymie