How to Create a Chocolate Tree

1. Gather your Ingredients and Tools

For this project you’ll need:

1 Styrofoam cone (The one I used was 15? tall)

Paint in coordinating color – I used gold

Saran Wrap

4 Pounds of strawberries (fewer if you’re stronger than I am and don’t eat any while you’re making this….)

Chocolate.  You can temper your own or cheat like me and just pick up a package of Wilton’s Candy Melts in Dark Cocoa

Toothpicks

Waxed paper

2. Prepare your cone for a strawberry invasion

Spray paint the styrofoam cone in a coordinating color.  I use this dessert at my Oscar Party so I always choose to spray paint my cone gold.  You don’t have to paint the cone, but no one wants to see boring green styrofoam when they start taking strawberries off this tower.  Then cover the cone in saran wrap.  It’s really the ew factor that makes me do this….I just don’t want anyone eating any gold spray paint!

3. Prepare the strawberries

Wash all the strawberries.  For this particular cone I cut off all the tops because they looked a bit wilted.  But if you leave the tops on, it’s a great place to hold on to while you are dipping in chocolate.  I used all these strawberries to make my cone….except the 7 I ate when I was making it.

4. Dip half the strawberries in chocolate

Prepare your chocolate according to package directions or temper your own chocolate.  If you want to cover all your strawberries in chocolate knock yourself out!  You’ll just need more chocolate.

Let the chocolate set by placing the strawberries on a sheet of waxed paper.  It is handy to have the tops cut off for this step as you place the strawberries top side down for even chocolate setting.

5. Place a row of strawberries on the cone

I always start with a row of strawberries and then a row of chocolate covered strawberries.  I don’t know why, I just like it that way.  But you can be a rebel and start with chocolate strawberries if you want.

Begin by inserting a toothpick into the cone and then placing the strawberry onto the cone.  Don’t insert the toothpick into the strawberry first – it doesn’t have enough resistance to push into the styrofoam.  You’ll have to judge by the size of your strawberries how closely to insert the next toothpick.  Luckily the strawberries vary in size so if you guess wrong you can usually find a strawberry that will work with your toothpick placement.

6. Continue alternating rows of strawberries

Continue with alternate rows of strawberries and chocolate covered strawberries until you reach the top and top with more strawberries.  Then enjoy!