Valentine's Day Treat - Ladybug Rice Krispies Pops

Lady Bug Rice Krispies Treat Pops

I am really not sure why ladybugs are associated with Valentine's Day other than the fact that they are red and kind of cute, at least as cute as a bug can be.  But for whatever reason, ladybugs have always been a symbol I think of at Valentine's Day, so I decided to create a ladybug themed recipe.  Last October when we were planning our bug themed Halloween party, I had come up with idea of making ladybug lollipops out of rice krispies treats.  I ran out of time before our party and never got them made.  I do think they would be a great addition to any bug themed party, but also thought they would be fun and cute for Valentine's Day.

For my first chocolate project on this blog, I wanted to create a recipe that looked amazing, but was somewhat easy to make. This recipe does require melting chocolate, dipping the rice krispies treats in chocolate, making modeling chocolate, and decorating with modeling chocolate, but I tried to keep all of the shapes very simple so even a beginner could do this project. The ladybugs are created by cutting a simple egg shape out of the cereal treats then dipping them in red colored confectionery coating and decorating them with modeling chocolate ovals and circles. It is best to read my instructions on melting chocolate, coloring chocolate, and making modeling chocolate before you make this recipe. Click here for chocolate information.

This project would be great to make with kids and will make wonderful treats for this holiday. Wrap your ladybug pops in a clear cellophane bag, tie with a ribbon, attach a cute card , and give away as a special Valentine's Day treat.

Ingredients:

12 Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats
16 ounces red confectionery coating wafers*
1/2 white modeling chocolate recipe (8 oz. white chocolate and 3 tablespoons corn syrup)
red paste food coloring*
1/2 dark modeling chocolate recipe (8 oz. dark chocolate and 1/4 cup corn syrup)
water
cocoa powder and powdered sugar to dust work surface
12 wooden craft sticks

*I recommend using red colored confectionery coating wafers as it is difficult to get a really deep red when you color white wafers. However, you can use white confectionery coating and color it using red paste, gel, or powdered coloring. Click here for instructions. You will have extra melted red coating when you are finished dipping your pops.  You can use the excess to create red modeling chocolate. You will have approximately 4-6 ounces remaining.  Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of corn syrup until thickened then knead.  If it is dry, add more corn syrup and knead until smooth.

Special equipment needed:

rolling pin
egg shaped cookie cutter (about 2" wide by 3" tall)
pastry brush
round pastry tips #7, #10, #12
2" round cookie cutter
2 baking sheets (that will fit into your freezer)
parchment paper

Instructions:

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

To create the rice krispies treat ladybug bodies:

Unwrap the rice krispies treats. Use the egg shaped cookie cutter to cut each of the treats into an oval shape. If your egg cutter is just a bit bigger than your cereal treat. press the cereal treat into the cutter molding it into an oval shape. Insert a wooden craft stick about 1" into each cereal treat oval.

To create the ladybug's dark modeling chocolate body and spots and white eyes:

Dust work surface and a rolling pin very lightly with cocoa powder. Roll dark modeling chocolate out to 1/16"-1/8" thickness. Use the egg shaped cookie cutter to cut 12 ovals, re-rolling modeling chocolate as needed. Use the pastry brush to brush off any excess cocoa powder from your oval shapes. 

You will need 6 spots for each lady bug.  I used three different size spots, but you can use just one if you prefer.  Roll out some dark modeling chocolate. Press the tip end of pastry tip #7 into the modeling chocolate. Continue to press a few times.  Then turn the tip upside down and tap it on the counter to release the very small circles of modeling chocolate.  Create 24 small dots using the #7 tip, 24 medium dots using the #10 tip, and 24 large dots using the #12 tip.

Dust your work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll a small amount of white modeling chocolate out and create 24 medium dots using the #10 tip.

To create the ladybug's red wings:

Dust your work surface and rolling pin very lightly with powdered sugar. Roll out your red modeling chocolate to 1/16"-1/8" thickness. Use the egg cookie cutter to cut 12 ovals. Use the round cookie cutter to cut the tip off of each oval, creating the ladybugs head.  Use a knife to cut a long triangle out from the bottom of each oval. Use a clean pastry brush to brush off any excess powdered sugar.

To dip the ladybug krispies treat pops in red confectionery coating:

Melt the red confectionery coating wafers in the microwave.  (Click here for detailed melting instructions.) Pour wafers into a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds, remove from microwave and stir. Heat for 20 seconds, stir. Heat for 15 seconds, stir. Heat for 10 second increments, stirring in between each, until confectionery coating is melted. Pour into a tall glass or measuring cup, leaving an inch between the top of the coating and the top of the glass. If you fill it too high, you will spill the coating when you dip your first egg shaped cereal treat.

Holding a stick, dip one krispies treat pop into the red coating.  Remove the pop from the coating and allow excess coating to drip off.  Tip: dip just the tip of the pop back into the chocolate several times.  This action will help to pull the excess coating off of the cereal treat. Then gently shake the pop a few times to remove the coating that is dripping from the tip of the pop.   

Set the pop on your lined baking sheet.  Immediately top with one dark modeling chocolate oval. You'll want to put your dipped pops into the freezer within a few minutes of dipping them, or you will end up with white streaks on your red pops. So dip a few pops then freeze them. The number of pops you will dip before freezing will depend on how quickly you dip them. Get the pops in the freezer before the red coating becomes hard.

Add more red coating to your glass as needed. If your red coating starts to become thick, re-heat in microwave for 10-15 seconds.  Stir the coating and continue dipping your pops.

Once all of your pops are dipped you can begin to decorate.  You will have excess red coating (it is necessary in order to dip all of your pops). You can simply spread it on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes to save for another use.  Or you can add corn syrup to it an make your red modeling chocolate.  See notes in ingredients list above.

To decorate your ladybug pops:

You will top each ladybug pop with wings, spots, and eyes. Use a clean pastry brush to brush a very light coating of water on the back side of the red modeling chocolate wings. Press the red wings on top of the dark egg shape on each pop. Dab a bit of water onto the modeling chocolate spots and arrange them on the wings. Press gently to flatten the spots.  Place the smaller spot at the bottom of the wings, the medium spot in the middle, and the large spot at the top. Dab a bit of water on each of the white spots and press them onto the dark ladybug head allowing about 1/3rd of the eye to drape over the edge.  Cut off the excess 1/3rd of each eye.

Serve your Ladybug Rice Krispies Treat Pops at room temperature.  This recipe can easily be transformed to cookies or cakes. The decorations for the little ladybugs could easily be used on decorated egg shaped cookies or even a large egg shaped cake.  Have fun with it! If you make these little pops, I'd love to see a picture.

If you like this recipe, please share it with others by using the share buttons below. I really appreciate being Stumbled Upon, and am always grateful to those of you that share my ideas on your website. I do request that you don't post my entire tutorial, but rather share a picture with a link and be sure to mention the recipe came from Hungry Happenings. If you make this recipe, I'd love for you to send me a photo to beth@hungryhappenings.com. Thank you for visiting Hungry Happenings - Beth

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