Melt the candy coating in the microwave until it is smooth and entirely free of lumps.
Pour the melted coating or tempered chocolate onto a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper, waxed paper, or aluminum foil.
Use a knife or a spatula to spread the coating into a thin, even layer, between 1/4-1/8 inch thick. If you're using a baking sheet approximately 10x15 inches, it should cover most of the sheet.
Gently tap the sheet against the counter several times to even out the thickness of the chocolate and bring any air bubbles to the surface. Refrigerate the tray to set the coating for 4-5 minutes. You want it to be partially set but not cool and hard.
While the coating is still somewhat malleable, take your ruler and a knife and begin to score lines in the coating. It's best to do this while it's still soft, because if you wait until it's hard it's more likely to crack or break.
The exact measurements you make are up to you. If you want to make small boxes for holding jewelry, candies, or other small tokens, you'll want to make a series of 2 or 3-inch squares, five squares total for a box without a lid, six squares if you want the lid. If you want to make a large box like the one pictured, suitable for holding several dozen truffles or other large gifts, I recommend making a 5-inch base and four sides that measure 5 by 3.5 inches. You can always re-melt and re-measure if you make any mistakes.
Once the coating has been cut to the desired sizes, return the tray to the refrigerator until the coating is entirely set and hardened.
Break apart the chocolate squares on the scored lines, and set all the pieces of your box aside. Take the scraps of coating remaining and re-melt them in the microwave. Place the bottom of your box on a piece of parchment, and use your paintbrush to dab the melted coating all along one side of the bottom.
Press one of the side squares against the base, and hold it until the coating starts to set and it holds itself up. The wonderful thing about coating is that it hardens fairly quickly, and if your chocolate pieces are still cool, then that will speed up the process.
. Now paint melted chocolate along one of the sides and the bottom, so that the next square will have two surfaces to stick to. Press a second side against the wet chocolate and hold it until it starts to set. Take your paint brush and fill in any cracks in the seams of the side or bottom with additional chocolate. Repeat with the third side.
. If you want to add decorations to your box, like a chocolate monogram or filigree, use some chocolate to glue the decoration onto the fourth and final side before you attach it to the rest of the box.
. Paint the two exposed sides and the edge of the bottom with melted chocolate, then press the final panel, the decorated front piece, onto the melted chocolate. Hold it until it sets, fill in any gaps, and then--voila!--your chocolate box is finished.
. If you have used chocolate coating, your chocolate box does not need to be refrigerated, but do keep it at cool room temperature, and be careful handling it, as it can easily get scuffed or show fingerprints. Click Here to View All Valentine's Day Candy Recipes!
