Celebrating Autumn with Chocolate Grape Acorns

Autumn brings so many beautiful colors and crisp outings. Along the way as you walk in the woods or clean up your yard, you may find acorns in amongst the leaves. Use them stacked in a pretty clear jar with some small decorative pumpkins or squash for a great centerpiece.

Make some edible acorns from grapes, toss in a few dark chocolate leaves and you have a healthy autumn dessert!

Edible Acorns

1 bunch of red and/or green grapes, stemmed, washed, dried

1 cup melted chocolate (use melted chocolate chips or tempered chocolate) or more

1/4-1/2 cup finely chopped nuts of your choice in shallow bowl or plate (almonds or peanuts are good)

Chocolate Leaves

1 cup melted chocolate chips or tempered chocolate

Leaf cookie cutters

To make leaves: spread melted chocolate chips or tempered chocolate on a piece of parchment paper, or plastic wrap covered bottom of cookie sheet. Allow to set up til firm but not hard (very important to not let the chocolate get too hard.... you will not be able to cut it). When chocolate is set, use cookie cutters to mark the chocolate. Sometimes the chocolate will stick to the cookie cutter, if that happens, put in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes then pop out the chocolate.

When chocolate is fully set and hard, pull away scraps of chocolate that did not get cut and you will have tasty chocolate leaves. Keep at cool room temperature until use. May be made ahead

To make acorns: dip the stem end of of grape in chocolate then dip in chopped nuts. Set on plate or waxed paper to harden. Refrigerate until use. Make up to 1 day ahead.

Assemble chocolate leaves and grape acorns on pretty autumn plate and serve!

Happy Autumn!