Want to be more original than buying the standard box of chocolates for a loved one with a sweet tooth? Making your own homemade treats can really take it to the next level to show them just how much you really care.

Since most people like Oreos, and most people like chocolate, and considering both Oreo-based desserts and chocolate-covered desserts are trending on Pinterest, why not make your own professional-looking chocolate covered Oreo treats?

While you may be wondering how difficult it could be, kits like the chocolate covered Oreos kit from The Secret Baker take the guesswork out of the process. 

We recently had the opportunity to try this new product out, and are happy to report that this fun kit leaves a little room to unleash your own creativity, too.

Although the giant box was pretty fun to open, what came inside was even more exciting. Virtually everything you need to create your own chocolate covered Oreos was included, including an entire package of Double Stuf Oreos!

Below is the step-by-step breakdown of the process, with a few tips we learned along the way... so you can dive right in without the learning curve!

Like I said, everything is provided, from the chocolate melting wafers to the microwavable containers. When melting the chocolate, be sure to stay patient and not heat in increments higher than 30 seconds, so the chocolate won't lose its tempering. Tempering chocolate creates the sheen and the snap when you break it, and prevents the white gunk that is actually cocoa butter from rising to the top and creating bloom. You'll also want to add the provided paramount crystals slowly to ensure a pourable, but not too runny, consistency for your chocolate.

Additionally, if you have a squeeze bottle that you're willing to part with instead of trying to wash it out afterward, it makes the process easier and less messy. However, if you're like me and hate to waste any last bit of chocolate, a good ol' spoon will do just fine. We tested both methods, and the spoon won out for me.

When decorating with the provided colored candy writers, feel free to get as artsy as you want, but remember chill them for at least 15 minutes in the fridge, as the instructions say. This ensures that the colors won't run when you pour your warm chocolate into the molds in the next step.

A toothpick also helps to get precise with your design, if you're a perfectionist or just want your chocolate Oreos to have a professional look to them. It's better to use less color and spread it around with the toothpick instead of flooding the wells and dealing with overflow.

After chilling, you want to make sure your melted chocolate is not too hot, or it will melt into your chilled decorations. Then, pour about 1/3 of the way, leaving room for the Oreo to set in.

The trickiest part is making sure the Oreo is completely centered, both horizontally and vertically. This may seem easy, but if this step is done incorrectly it will result in the cookie showing through the surface, or the sides not being completely covered by chocolate. It will still taste delicious, but for a gift you may want to take special care during this step.

Then, you can cover the tops and scrape off the excess chocolate to ensure a flat base when flipping them out. Tapping the tray gently prevents awkward air bubbles from getting trapped in your silky chocolate as well.

Next, the tray goes back in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. When you take them out, be sure to remove them from the mold while they're still cold. This makes it a lot easier to pop them out. Then, voilà! You've got your tasty treats, ready to impress and be enjoyed!

Although the white chocolate was quite sweet along with the Double Stuf Oreos that The Secret Baker so thoughtfully included in the kit, sprinkling a little sea salt on either the milk- or white chocolate-covered Oreos made them absolutely delectable!

 

Here's what the results of pushing the cookie too far in and pouring too-hot chocolate into the mold look like...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had fun using deocrations we had lying around, such as colorful sprinkles and using the other candy writers to create more designs... let your imagination run wild for an extra personalized touch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick tips:

- Don't stop halfway through because hardened chocolate in a non-microwaveable squeeze bottle can be a bit problematic to re-melt thoroughly.

- It's better to fill the first 1/3 of the mold with a little extra chocolate so there aren't any awkward gaps on the sides of the finished product.

- Try your own variations, such as adding sprinkles or other colors to the chocolate, or even tinting the white chocolate another color for a themed party or holiday!

- You can give these as gifts to anyone from your grandma to your guy or your girlfriends, or just eat em' yourself (although that's not recommended because they're quite indulgent).

 

The Secret Baker also has many other mold designs and products that you can try out for yourself, and you can find them here. The kit we used is the Love Flower Chocolate Covered Oreo Kit, which is sold for $36.95 online.

Just when you thought America's beloved cookie couldn't get any sweeter, along comes The Secret Baker to help you cover them in chocolate! We found them to be perfect for giving and indulging in, and worth the effort indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reach Tanaya Ghosh here or follow her on Twitter.