Unique & Practical Baby Shower Favor: Chocolate-Covered Spoons

One of my best friends is expecting a baby boy and I recently threw her a small baby shower. Even though we have known each other from many years back when we both lived in Brasil, Canada is where she calls home now, and unfortunately we don't see each other as often as I would like to.  So when she told me she was coming to San Francisco for a visit and some baby shopping, I didn't think twice and asked her if she would like me to prepare her a "mini baby shower".  It would be at least 4 of us, since she came with her mother-in-law and another one of her very close friends also lives here in the "City by the Bay."

She loves all things vintage and "shabby chic", and this was actually the tone of her wedding last year in our beloved homeland.  To celebrate the mom-to-be, we got together for a ladies' vintage afternoon tea.  All gluten-free, mind you - my friend found out not too long ago that she is gluten-intolerant and I decided that all the food was going to be "GF", so she could eat anything she wanted at her own shower.  I promise to write a full post on all the details of the shower, but for now I just wanted to share this charming idea for a baby shower favor: chocolate spoons to flavor your hot milk.

I created these tags using the event's fonts and the color blue to represent Mr. Baby :-)

Included were "instructions" on how to use the spoons: "Stir your hot milk with this chocolate spoon for a real treat!"

I arranged them all inside a repurposed empty candle holder wrapped with a decorated packing tape imitating white lace.

I had this adorable antique baby spoon engraved with the word "baby" and it couldn't be more fitting to  adorn the "spoon jar".

In case you are wondering, I got the spoons from different sources - my local antique/flea market and shops, Etsy and eBay.  Maybe a visit to your mother or grandmother can yield good results on your antique-spoon-hunt.  Good luck!

Here's a tutorial on how to make the chocolate spoons.  A little confession before I start: I didn't take pictures of the original chocolate spoons that I made... This was mainly because I had to hide my "subject" from my older kid, who kept wanting to "help" by tasting every single one I would make... So I tried to re-create the "production line".  With no further ado, here we go:

CHOCOLATE COVERED SPOONS

Grab your tools and supplies: 

chocolate (good quality chips, bars, shavings, pellets (callets), white, dark, milk... everything goes!)

microwave-safe bowl or a bain-marie (double-boiler) set up

spoons (I used antique ornate spoons, but it can be any type, even wood or plastic spoons)

edible sprinkles (optional - I wanted to keep it simple and use it to flavor the milk, so I didn't use it here)

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20 seconds intervals, stirring in between.  If using a bain-marie, melt it over simmering (not boiling) water, and stir often, until smooth.  

Now you have two options: 1. dip the spoon into the melted chocolate and then lay it down on a non-stick surface (I used a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat, but parchment paper works well too), 2. or arrange your spoons on the tray first, and then spoon in a little bit of chocolate on each.  This makes for a cleaner presentation, and that's what I did originally with my shower favors.  Make sure you tilt your tray a little, using something like a book underneath, so the chocolate doesn't run while you are filling the spoons.  Wait until the chocolate cools and sets a little before adding your sprinkles.  Once they are completely set, wrap each spoon in cellophane wrap (or use organza drawstring bags like I did.)  Just make sure you keep them in a cool, dry place until ready to use. Tip: Avoid storing chocolate in the refrigerator since it can absorb other flavors and smells.  Moisture can also create condensation as it warms up back to room temperature. You should avoid temperature fluctuations all together, since the sugar and fat can separate from the cocoa and cause the chocolate to "bloom".

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