How to Make Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Cooking How-To, Dessert, How-To, Recipes, Valentine's Day
on January 19, 2017

5. Strawberries are packed with amazing health benefits.

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What You Will Need

Chocolate (of your choosing)
Medium sized strawberries
Crisco/lard
Parchment or wax paper
Decorations (colored sugar, sprinkles, heart shaped candies, nuts, etc.)

Choosing Your Chocolate

Some people prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate. Some like to mix half and half. I recommend dark chocolate for the main dipping as it is a perfect compliment to the sweetness of the strawberry, but this is a personal preference. If you want to get creative, try using white chocolate to decorate with as well. (The nicer the chocolate, the better it will taste, but honestly any kind will do.)

Strawberry Sizes

Try to find medium sized strawberries at the market. This allows the perfect two bites to each strawberry, and cuts down on mess.

Make sure to wash and dry your strawberries a few hours in advance and let the strawberries come to room temperature before you try to dip them. This is to ensure that there is no moisture left on the strawberries, which could make it difficult for the chocolate to stick evenly and properly.

Melting the Chocolate

Once the strawberries are ready to go, it’s time to melt the chocolate. Many people have fears about this, but don’t worry! I’ve tested different ways and have found the easiest way to melt chocolate:

Place a large skillet on the burner with about 2 inches of water in it. Place a tempered glass bowl with your chopped chocolate (I found that 8oz made about 15 strawberries) in the skillet and then bring the water to a simmer. It’s ok to let the bowl touch the bottom of the skillet.

Turn off the burner as the water starts to simmer. Let the chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. You can leave the chocolate on the skillet for as long as needed while you are prepping, and there is no need to worry about burning.

Prepping Your Station

Once the chocolate has begun melting, pull out a baking sheet and line it with parchment or wax paper. Grab your strawberries and decorations and set them up in a convenient manner.

Check on the chocolate. I like to stir in a little bit of Crisco or lard with the chocolate to get the consistency that I want. It helps to thin the chocolate so it’s not as thick on the strawberries and it will help prevent cracking later on. You can also put multiple bowls of chocolate in the skillet at a time if you are using different types, rotating as needed.

The only thing you need to be cautious about is when you take the bowl out of the water. Make sure to not get any water inside the bowl as it will cause the chocolate to cease!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Honest Cooking

Dipping!

Now the fun part! Wrap your bowl of chocolate in a towel, to keep the chocolate warm. Take a strawberry by the leaves and dunk the strawberry into the chocolate, rotating from side to side as needed. If your bowl is too shallow, transfer the chocolate into a mug so all you need to do is dip the strawberry once to get it perfectly covered. Lay the strawberry down on the parchment or wax paper, and repeat.

Decorating

While the strawberry is still wet, you can add decorations. Drizzle a different type of chocolate with a fork over the strawberry to get an exciting design. Dye white chocolate any color to create fun color combinations. Add some crushed nuts, grated coconut, or sanding sugar for a delicious extra layer to your bite. The options are endless, so get those creative juices flowing!

Decorating Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Honest Cooking

Once done, place the sheet in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. Take them out, and they are ready to eat.

NOTE: I do not recommend making these more than a few hours in advance. If you refrigerate them overnight, the chocolate will start to bloom and the strawberries will begin to weep.

This article was reprinted with permission. It originally appeared as How to Perfectly Dip Chocolate Covered Strawberries at Honest Cooking.