How to say I love you with chocolate dipped strawberries.

For the non-chocolate lover, say it with fresh fruit or fresh fruit and  cheese!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries!  One of my favorites; I like using chocolate morsels to melt my chocolate because they are already tempered.   I add a little butter when melting to give it a little shine on the finished product.  When I was in school, we used Callebaut Chocolate (callebaut.com).  It can be expensive, and needs to be tempered.

When choosing chocolate, think about what type of chocolate the person you are giving the gift to.  Everyone has a certain taste in chocolate. I use dark chocolate (Giardelli 60% Cocao bittersweet morsels) because I like the balance of the dark chocolate with the sweetness of the strawberries.  For my children and guests I use Semisweet morsels because they like the sweet on sweet taste of the chocolate and the strawberries.

Put aside about an hour to complete from start to finish if more than 1/2 dozen strawberries (once you read through the entire recipe, and you master making dipped strawberries, it should not take as long the second time).  Give a try!

Recipe:

Depending on how many strawberries you want to give or serve, the amount of chocolate doesn’t really matter because the chocolate can be preserved in the refrigerator (it will solidify and keep for a good amount of time and can be melted again, or used for another chocolate dish).

What you will need:

Double boiler (if you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a saucepan and a stainless steel or glass bowl that can withstand heat over hot water.  Check out my page on Best Things I Ever Bought for the item I use with my saucepan.  Also, I have added “the easy way” at the bottom of the instructions if you don’t want to deal with the double boiler option.  I like having the double boiler so the chocolate stays melted and is easier to work with.  With the microwave option, as chocolate hits the air, it starts to thicken.  The chocolate should not be hot when dipping the strawberries, it should be semi-warm.

6-12 oz. of chocolate morsels (you choose the brand)

2-4 oz. white chocolate morsels

Strawberries (amount will depend on how many you are serving or want to serve)

Cookie tray covered with parchment paper or wax paper

Strawberries

• Wash strawberries – soaking in water for 1 minute – drain and towel dry, leaving the stems on.  There should be no water left on the strawberry when dipping (I place my strawberries on a paper towel while I am working (if the strawberries are wet, the chocolate won’t stick and will cause the chocolate in the pan to solidify.

Chocolate Morels

• Boil water in saucepan (water should be filled to about 1/3 of the saucepan, turning down heat to simmering once it’s boiled
• Place bowl on top of saucepan, making sure it fits secure on top of the saucepan. The top bowl should not be hitting the water
• Making sure there is no water (hot or cold) inside the bowl, pour in the morsels (once chocolate touches water, it solidifies).  You may see some steam come from the sides.  As long as the steam doesn’t get into the bowl you are safe.
• Melt the chocolate until it is smooth and ready for dipping.  You can start to stir the morsels immediately as some morsels may still look whole, but are melted.  At this point, I add 1/2 tablespoon of butter/shortening/or oil to chocolate to give it a little shine.

Assembly

• Take the strawberry by the stem (pinching with three fingers) and holding the side of the strawberry with the ring finger for pressure, dip in a swirl like motion covering the entire strawberry, except for the stem, lifting the strawberry out of the chocolate and placing at an angle onto the cookie tray.  Space strawberry so that the chocolate doesn’t melt into the strawberry beside it.
• Once strawberries are placed on cookie sheet, take the white chocolate (see below) and drizzle strawberries with white chocolate.
  • With a spoon – take a spoon, and lift the spoon up keeping it over the dish (a single string of chocolate will form, once you are able to get the string formed, swipe back and forth over strawberries until streams of chocolate appear.
  • With a pastry bag – place white chocolate in pastry bag making sure the whole on the bottom of the pastry bag is very small (enough to drizzle through).  Swipe chocolate over strawberries back and forth.
• Place tray in the refrigerator until chocolate is completely solidified – approximately 30 minutes (If I am in a hurry, I place them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes (you will know they are ready when they lift off the paper freely).

White Chocolate Drizzle

• Place morsels in a microwavable dish, set microwave for desired time (Usually 15 seconds, depending on my microwave setting).  If it needs longer, set at 15 second intervals until melted and can be stirred. Morsels may still look whole, but are heated enough to melt and can be stirred.

Gift Giving – I purchase small pastry boxes, or clear plates and place a doily on surface, then assemble strawberries.  For the plates, I wrap in clear basket wrap and place bow around to secure.

The easy way:  Microwave your chocolate (depending on your microwave temperature, you will have to keep an eye on the melting of the chocolate).  Morsels may still look whole, but are heated enough to melt and can be stirred.

Why I don’t use the microwave:  If the chocolate overcooks, if I don’t watch it carefully.  It can burn and solidify and won’t be usable to dip strawberries, so be careful.