Chocolate Covered Homeschool

There are a few lessons we do in homeschooling where I think to myself "I wish school was like this all the time." This week was like that.

This week was chocolate week.

It started a few weeks ago with Alex reading Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" aloud to me. It's thirty chapters and took us about 2 weeks on and off reading two to four chapters a day depending on length. He's seven, so I try not to push too hard. We pulled out words we didn't know and looked them up. (vocabulary). We talked about behaivors and following rules. (character development). We finished up the book earlier this week. (literature, phonics and reading comprehension)

Then we got to watch Gene Wilder's magnificent performance as Willy Wonka (sorry Johnny, he's just such a better Wonka). (art, music and theater plus a discussion on book adaptations)

Then we read DK's "The Story of Chocolate" which was really quite informative, even for me. (reading, history and science!) Though I have to admit a serious contemplation of growing our own cacao trees occured while reading this book. We also read Curious George and a lighter science based book to the smaller kids to get them in on the action.

Then the most wonderful thing happened. We made chocolates. (science and cooking) But not just any chocolates, no! We made them from cocao butter, cocoa powder and powdered sugar. We got to feel, taste and smell real beans. The kids had to read an analog thermometer for correct termperance (science and math).

And then, we ate a bunch of chocolate.

Homeschool never tasted so good. Well, those cupcakes were pretty tasty too.

Yeah, it's that easy. (pie tutorial, stages 1 and 2

So, on a recent twitter relay between myself and Kitschy Coo* about pie, where we discussed the merits of bringing damaged and/or inedible pie as a hostess gift and whether or not you could actually cobbler a key lime pie (don't you dare steal that idea! I'm so entering a contest with that), I discovered you can't buy Jell-o in Scotland. My heart goes out to all you delicious dessert making Scots and your lack of gelatin goodness. Apparently, the Kitsch-ter is also lacking in pie making abilities to go along with her Jell-less-ness. It's a very sad day.

But, on a happier note, for those of you swimming in the abundant gelatinous sea, I've whipped up (quite literally, too) an easy chocolate pie recipe that is sure to please and dirty enormous amounts of dishes should you choose the advanced prep setting. I usually go for what I call "beginner easy" tutes on here but have also included an "advanced easy" recipe for those of you more pie-efficient -or would that be pieficient?

Beginner Easy Chocolate Pie 


Ingredients
1 6oz pack of chocolate Jell-o
3c milk (any will do)
1 premade chocolate graham crust
1 tub of coolwhip
some chocolate chips (optional but come on, you know you want them)

Make the Jell-o as instructed. Fold in (this is an advanced term which means not to stir it in, you fold it over lots of times) half the cool whip. Open the pie crust. Slap the chocolate Jell-o mix in the crust, slap on the rest of the cool whip. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to taste good. Make lovely swooshie designs in the cool whip and lick the bowls. Sprinkle on the chips (optional but makes it look fancier and thus advances your skill level in the minds of the people with whom you wish to share). Fridge it until it's cold and firm. Eat it.


Advanced Easy Chocolate Pie

Ingredients
1 6oz pack of chocolate Jell-o
3c milk (any will do)
2c heavy whipping cream
1tsp vanilla
1/2c granulated sugar
1 pack chocolate Grahams pulverized (give to your kids to carry into the house or stick them in a baggie and work out your frustrations)
2tsp butter
some chocolate chips (optional, I don't really think chocolate chips are optional...)

Put the cream in a cold bowl and stir the bejezus out of it on med/high until it forms "peaks" (this is assuming you have a hand blender or lovely Kitchenaid otherwise stick with the beginner recipe). This is the stage before butter is made so be careful not to over whip it, not that I speak from experience...) Drop the speed and add the vanilla and sugar. It's done when it makes nicer peaks and looks whipped creamy.

Make the Jell-o as directed on the box (using the 3c of milk) then fold in half the whipped cream you just made. Smash up the grahams, melt the butter and mix it in until it resembles coarse meal. Press it into a pie tin.

Slap in the chocolate mix, slap the whipped cream on top, sprinkle with chips, fridge it till firm and consume with wild abandon.

I seriously made the advanced pie and the blog post in less than an hour so I take no excuse from those of you with access to Jell-o. As for you Scots, if you're visiting the US or some other instant pudding fortunate country, you can totally make this in a hotel room.

*KitschyCoo can be followed on Twitter. Or you can shop her fabulous store on Etsy.