Debbie B.
Moderator
3/1/2009
9:20 AM
120 Posts

I ordered from Vermont Nut Free last year and my son LOVED his nut-free chocolate bunny! http://vnf.secure-mall.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=69

For a bunny that is nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, consider
Divvies. http://www.divvies.com/store/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=CDNY#BUN

These are both only available to purchase online/by mail. Anyone have tips on safe bunnies available locally?

Cara D.
3/8/2009
4:49 PM
14 Posts

Hello!

Amanda's own www.amandasown.com has GREAT chocolate with no milk/nuts. It DOES HAVE SOY! We order from them a lot--they always have holiday shapes that Alec loves!

I know it isn't local, but I thought I'd throw out another option...

:)

Melissa L.
3/18/2009
2:33 PM
13 Posts

Did you know you can make your own Easter Bunnies at home? It’s actually quick and easy. Just invest in a easter bunny chocolate mold, and then it can become a tradition to make easter bunnies every year! The candy mold should last year after year. As I grew up, my family made chocolate bunnies, chicks, and eggs every easter. We made homemade marshmallows, too, and dipped them in chocolate. Fun, delicious, and special when you make these treats together as a family, or as a parent for a child! I have continued this tradition in my own home, despite my children being allergic to dairy!
To make your own chocolate easter bunny, buy a candy mold, and then buy chocolate chips that are guaranteed gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free. I use Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips from Whole Foods. There are several cute bunny molds at a shop on Water Street in Henderson. I just checked last Saturday. You want the chocoate candy molds, not the hard candy molds. There are cute one-dimensional bunnies at 2.50 per mold (several bunnies on each mold. Or there are molds for making 3-D bunnies, ranging from 2.50 or 4.00 each on up, with bunnies 3 inches high to 10 or 12 inches high. There are also other cute easter designs- chicks, lambs, eggs). The store is called Tempting Treasures by Jan, and the address is 30 B Water Street, Henderson, NV 89015. It’s on your right hand side soon after Lake Mead.
To make the chocolates: Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave. (Try about 1 cup chips, depending on how big your mold is, or how many you have). Heat 30 seconds to a minute, then stir, then microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave 30 seconds, stir, until chocolate is thin enough to pour into the mold. Note that if your chocolate is overheated, it may become too thick after it’s been completely melted. In this case, the chocolate can be thinned by using some shortening, try 1 tsp and stir, then add more if needed. If you have a one-sided mold, pour until chocolate is level with top of mold. You can gently tap the mold on the counter top to encourage the chocolate to become completely level. Then place the mold carefuly into the freezer in a level place. For small chocolates, 10-15 minutes may be plenty to solidify the chocolate.
Line a cookie sheet or flat tray with plastic wrap, and then place mold upside down onto the tray. (You can lift the cookie sheet up to meet the mold, or you can use a clean, soft towel instead, if you have a single bunny, placing it on top of the mold and then inverting in your hand). Chocolates should easily fall out if solid, or with a little tapping of the mold, or gently pushing. If they are not easily coming out, try placing the chocolate in the freezer for a few more minutes. If you wish to individually wrap the chocolate(s), cut pieces of plastic wrap large enough to wrap around the chocolate. You can use a piece of plastic wrap in your hand to pick up the chocolates without getting finger prints on the chocolates.
I have not created a chocolate 3-D bunny before, but I asked a lady at the store how it is done. You have a two-sided mold(there are several to choose from at the store). You fill one side of the mold with chocolate. Then snap other side securely on top. Shake enough so that both sides are coated with chocolate. You may first need to coat edges, corners on empty side as they may not easily be coated when mold is together and shaken. Place in the freezer, both sides still securely together. After 3 minutes, remove mold, move it around a bit to recoat uniformly all sides, place back in freezer for 3 minutes, repeat until solid. The lady says this only takes 3 or 4 times of recoating and freezing before it’s solid.
Have fun, and maybe start a new easter tradition! This really is easy when you get the hang of it, and much less expensive that ordering or buying the bunnies, I would guess, at least if you use the molds over again).
If my instructions don’t completely make sense, here is another place to go:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/165952/how_to_make_your_own_chocolate_easter.html?cat=22
This article steps you through the process and also gives a few ideas at the end. I have put rice crispies in my chocolates before- yum! Filling the chocolates with peanut butter isn’t an option, but we could use sunbutter! Or you could have a coconut frosting sort of filling made dairy free- use powdered sugar, non-dairy butter/shortening, and then coconut milk instead of dairy milk, and add flaked coconut.

Melissa L.
3/18/2009
2:36 PM
13 Posts

Hmmm...this is Melissa again. That post was really long and the paragraphs didn't separate very well. Sorry about the overwhelming format! You can print off of my blog the same instructions. I may add pictures at some point, too. http://wheatdairyeggnutfree.blogspot.com/

Melissa L.
3/18/2009
2:51 PM
13 Posts

If you go to my blog for the easter bunny instructions, do look at my first thread here for the address of the local store in Henderson that sells easter molds. I removed that part from my blog.

Debbie B.
Moderator
3/18/2009
7:44 PM
120 Posts

Thanks, Melissa! I'm inspired- a new family tradition!

Sara D.
3/21/2009
10:36 AM
10 Posts

Great idea!

Melissa L.
3/23/2009
9:39 PM
13 Posts

I'm glad you're inspired!

I was just reading from the "in the News" section, the article called, "Food Allergy Labeling Not Always Accurate."
Monday March 16, 2009 Interesting the researchers said that dark chocolate is a leading offender that sometimes contains allergens when it doesn't say that it does, or when it says that it might. So be careful what chocolate you buy! I've been guilty of buying chocolate chips that said they are processed in the same facility as milk, nuts, etc. Now I only go with something that is specifically an allergen-free brand(Enjoy Life is what I buy). It says specifically on the package dairy, soy, and gluten free. I wonder why it doesn't say nut free. It does say on the back that it's made in a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free facility. So I feel safe with this product.