Starburst Candy Roses

These candy roses are incredibly simple, cheap and fun to make! Give away these one of a kind treats to your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

The only ingredients you need to make these candy roses are:

Starburst: 6-7 pieces for each rose

Green airhead candy (optional -if you choose to make leaves)

Green apple licorice sticks

Tools:

Sharp kitchen knife,

Cutting surface,

Microwave safe plate

Microwave

Clear treat bags or sandwich bags

This part is so simple but important.

Start by placing the 6-7 pieces you are going to use on a microwave safe plate, spaced apart.

Microwave for 5 seconds on high.

No more, no less.

This heats them just enough so they are pliable to work like clay.

Any longer and they will become too sticky to work with.

To form the center of your rose take a wad of starburst and shape it around the top of a green apple licorice piece. Work it into a bud-like shape.

You can also use sucker sticks for the stem if you can't find green licorice.

Take each starburst piece and work it flat with your fingers. You can make these petals to look like a potato chip or a square with rounded edges- just as long as they are flattened. Start wrapping each petal around the bud one by one. Try not to make your arrangement symmetrical. At this point, feel free to arrange the petals a little to make the bloom appear more open.

This part is optional but I think the helps them keep their shape.

Cut a slit in the bottom of a silicone cupcake liner and slip the stem through the slot and place the entire thing in a glass.

Place this in the freezer to chill for a few minutes.

You will find that it is not as flexible or sticky afterwards.

Leaves are cut out of Airhead candy. Watermelon is the one you want. In some places you have to buy the whole pack to get green. You're lucky if you can find them individually sold.

Start by cutting off the end in a diagonal or at least two cuts that form an obtuse angle and repeat the leaf shape on the other side. Gently score the middle and cut little slits in the sides of the edges. Finally, poke little dots on the surface of the leaf.

You can apply these leaves by a long end around the stem of the rose.

I struggled with this part. If you find a better way to secure the leaves or another material please let me know :)

Wrap the tops treat bags and/or place in sandwich bag.

Makes great gifts for anyone!