Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

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Chocolate dipped fruits are always a treat, especially these chocolate covered strawberries. And, whether you make these as a special Mother's Day treat or Valentine's Day indulgence, these are simple and easy to make. Delish on their own, or served with whipped cream and Champagne for that added luxury.

Strawberry season is coming to an end here, and guess what? This year I haven't made chocolate covered strawberries. My kids love them, and I always make them especially around Mother's Day or Valentine's day. And, Aadi loves to dip the strawberries in chocolate. In fact, he will find a box to place them in and then say - "Happy Birthday Mother Day mama". Somehow, every time he says "happy" the birthday seems to tag along. So, instead of just saying - Happy Mother's Day, he says Happy Birthday Mother's Day Mama. Love these early years when they talk like this.

I made these for a cake order recently and thought that I'd share with you how easy and simple it is to make these. Also, you can place one chocolate covered strawberry on a chocolate mousse, or garnish a bowl of fruit salad with some of these. And, you can serve them as a healthier Valentine's dessert.

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No microwave - Use a double boiler

I use a microwave to melt chocolate in my recipes, and yet I know that some of you do not have microwaves. So, I always say use a double boiler, which is a big word for something very simple.

A double boiler is just two pans that fit perfectly together — one above and one below (see progress pictures below).

• First, take a pot (like a soup pot) with little water in it.
• Then, find another pan (like a saucepan) that sits comfortably over that first pot.
• The top pot must not touch the water in the bottom pan.
• And, there should be no gap between the pots to prevent steam from the water seizing the chocolate.
• Now all you do is add chocolate to the top pan.
• Next, place the pan with chocolate over the pot of simmering water (Make sure the steam does not go into the chocolate, or the chocolate will seize).
• Now, keep the heat on low and let the chocolate melt gently.

And, although they are very easy to make, these can be a bit tricky and frustrating. So, here are some tips to help you make the perfect chocolate coated strawberries every single time.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Strawberries - These have got to be fresh!! Not frozen! And, if you don't have fresh berries, make a different dessert that calls for frozen strawberries. Also, the condensation from frozen fruits can be just one of the big issues when using frozen fruits. In addition, while most people like to use large strawberries, I prefer a small to medium size. And, as you can see, these aren't huge, and to me, they look prettier. And yet, you choose the size you like.
• Dry Fruits  - You can also use dry fruits to make these. For example, try dried apricots, figs, peaches, etc. They make delicious chocolate-covered dry fruit.
• Chocolate - This is like eating chocolate, so you want to use good quality chocolate that you love to eat. And, any baking or cooking chocolate will not do justice to the taste and quality of this dessert. So, as long as you can eat the chocolate on its own, you can use it.
• Garnish - I like a little drizzle of white chocolate over my chocolate covered strawberries. Sometimes, I even use some finely chopped nuts. But, today, I've kept them plain and simple.
• Vegetable oil - You want to use a non-flavored oil that's not going to affect the taste and flavor of your chocolate. The purpose of the oil is to thin the chocolate, so you have a shiny, smooth satin-like coating that is not too thick and clumpy on the strawberries. And a thick chocolate coating makes the fruit look bulky.

Step by step instructions (pin)

Prepare strawberries

• First, wash strawberries under cold running water and let drain thoroughly.
• Then, wipe them well to drain any excess liquid.
  Note - If the strawberries are not completely dry, any drop of water that falls into your chocolate will seize the chocolate (that's what I meant by tricky and frustrating - now you know).
• Best practice - I wipe each strawberry with a paper hand towel. Then, I air dry for another hour at least so any mist on the stalks will dry as well.

Melt some chocolate

• Break the chocolate into smaller pieces.
• Microwave for about 30 secs to one minute until completely melted.
• Alternatively, use a double boiler method (4th image below) to melt chocolate.
• Then, add vegetable oil to the melted chocolate and stir well.
• This will thin the chocolate giving you a smooth and shiny finish. In addition, a thinner chocolate consistency makes it easy to dip the strawberries.

Dip strawberries

• You can pick a strawberry by the stalk (green) and dip into the chocolate. However, I like to use a toothpick inserted in the top so the stalk won't break with the weight.
• Hold it above the chocolate for a few seconds to let excess chocolate drip.
• Then, gently rub the back of the strawberry over the edge removing any excess.
• Place on a parchment paper leaving enough room between each one of them.

Chill strawberries - Storage

• Place the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate set.
• These will stay well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• And, as the strawberries lose their freshness, the chocolate will start to crack and fall off.

Topping ideas

• Melted chocolate drizzle
• chopped nuts (my favorite are pistachios, hazelnuts, and pecans)
• Chocolate chips
• Peanut butter chips
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Crushed Oreo cookies
• Crush candy
• kids favorite sprinkles

5 Tips to the perfect chocolate covered strawberries

1. Most important, always make sure the strawberries are fresh and bruise-free.
2. Also, dry the strawberries well - any drop of water or condensation on the fruit can seize the chocolate.
3. Melt the chocolate slowly and gently for a nice shine.
4. Also, stick a toothpick at the top of the strawberries to help move the berries easily.
5. Let the excess chocolate drip completely. And remove excess by scraping the strawberry on the edge of the bowl. This will prevent a big pool of chocolate at the base of the strawberry which does not look good.

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Frequently asked questions

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What else can I do with fresh strawberries?

There is so much you can do with fresh strawberries, from simple to elaborate. And, I have shared more than 30 wonderful strawberry treats for you here on this blog. Here are just a few.

• Strawberry Cheesecake - Strawberry Jello Cheesecake
• Classic Strawberry Bavarian Cream Cake or Strawberry Bavarian Cream
• Strawberry Cake with Vanilla Buttercream
• Fresh Strawberry Cake with Swill Meringue Buttercream
• How to freeze strawberries in the season for later in the year.

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