Peppermint White Chocolate Heart Pops Recipe

Even though Valentines Day is over, that doesn't mean you can't make this sweet candy treat for your loved ones.  Now is actually a great time to make them as you can find boxes of mini candy canes on sale (I found a huge box for $1 at Michaels Arts & Crafts).  I made mine the other day with my 3 year old son.  So yes, they didn't turn out as pretty as they could have if I did them myself, however we had a blast doing it together which is the most important thing to me.  Plus, they still tasted just as yummy!  This recipe (which I found in my Disney Family Fun magazine) will make 12 heart pops.

What you need:
24 mini candy canes
12 paper lollipop sticks
12 oz bag of white chocolate melts (you can use chips, but the Wilton's Premium White Melts worked out wonderfully!)
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil (only if you use chips, not if you use candy melts)
Red & pink nonpareils or sugar sprinkles

Heat the oven to 235*  On a parchment lined baking sheet, arrange the candy canes into hearts and bake for 10 minutes.

Slide the parchment paper (with the hearts on it) off the baking sheet and onto a work surface.

Quickly pinch each warm heart onto a lollipop stick to form a perfect closed heart shape (very important step, yet you can see from my photo this is what we forgot to do...oops)

In the microwave, melt the bag of candy melts according to the instructions on the bag. 
If you are using plain white chocolate chips, add the oil and heat on high in 10 second intervals, stirring between heatings until fully melted.

First coat the stick (center of the heart only) with a small amount of chocolate.  Allow it to set a few minutes, and then flip it over (this way your stick won't show thru the back)
Fill either a decorator bag or a baggie with a small corner cut off with the chocolate.  Carefully pipe the chocolate into the center of the heart (this is where us not heating and forming the heart made it tricky...that and letting a 3 year old help)

While still hot, sprinkle the nonpareils or sugar over the chocolate and allow them to cool until hardened.

Now you can either serve them on a platter or wrap them in lollipop bags (tied with a pretty ribbon of course) and give them as gifts.  Hope you have fun with this!