Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Dipping the perfect chocolate covered strawberries is a quick and simple process that always makes a lasting impression. It is inexpensive and you can be as creative as you wish. I purchase the extra-large strawberries from our local strawberry stand, off Towne & Baseline in Claremont, California. They are a little pricey but well worth it. I got 3 baskets, with roughly 30 strawberries for $15.00 averaging .50 cents per strawberry. They were selling chocolate dipped strawberries for Mother’s Day at Albertson’s for $1.50 and fancy bakeries sell them for nearly $3.00. I enjoy doing things myself so I saved the money and spent a little time making my own. You can give these as gifts or decorate the top of a baked cake with these. Fun for the kids to help you too!

Ingredients:

8 ounces (1 1/3 cups) bittersweet chocolate chips such as Ghirardelli, finely chop if you are using bars of chocolate

4 TBSP. unsalted butter at room temperature

1 TBSP, dark corn syrup

1 cup + 2 TBSP. heavy cream

Directions:

You can do this step a day ahead: Wash and dry fresh strawberries. Make sure there is no water on the strawberries or the chocolate will seize up and ruin the smooth consistency of the chocolate. 

Lay down a large piece of wax or parchment paper onto your counter in advance.

Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a medium sized microwavable bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil on your stove. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and gently stir with a whisk until completely smooth. Use this immediately to dip your strawberries.

If you are only using chocolate and not the ingredients above: Melt chocolate (chips or bar) in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, double boiler or you can alternatively use the microwave according to directions on the package. Most packages of chocolate chips will provide direction for melting the chocolate specifically for fruit dipping. I like to use bittersweet chocolate for my strawberries, but you can use candy melts, white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, CANDIQUIK or even the tubs of chocolate such as Dolci Frutta Chocolate you find in the produce section at your local grocery store.

Pour melted chocolate into a deep mug, cup or small bowl. Hold the strawberries at the leaves and dip into melted chocolate until it is fully coated. 

Pull strawberry straight up and out of the chocolate while lightly letting excess chocolate slide off of the tip of the strawberry and back into your cup. You can scrape excess chocolate off the bottom of the strawberry, on the side of the bowl so it does not create a pool of chocolate around your strawberry as it begins to dry.

Place dipped strawberries onto the wax paper.

Let strawberries dry. You can speed up the process by placing in the fridge for a few minutes. Feel free to add a drizzle of white chocolate on top by using a plastic bag filled with melted chocolate. Snip off the smallest piece from the corner of the bag and gently squeeze on to dried dipped berries, moving your hand from side to side in a quick and steady motion to create the swirls. You can also dip your strawberries in white chocolate and then use dark chocolate to make the swirls.

Creative Ideas: Place candies or sprinkles onto wet chocolate. Place on wax paper and refrigerate to dry and set chocolate. You can also roll dipped berries in a bowl of chopped nuts, cookie crumbles, coconut shreds, sprinkles, etc. Place on wax paper and refrigerate to dry and set chocolate.

Store in a cool dry place or refrigerate* if not serving immediately.

*Note: if you leave the chocolate dipped strawberries in the fridge, condensation might form and you will have water droplets on top of your strawberries or in between the berry and the chocolate, when you remove them from the fridge and they come back to room temperature.

Inspired by: http://blog.dollhousebakeshoppe.com/2013/02/how-to-make-beautiful-professional.html#sthash.enokEGlj.dpuf

EASIER THAN DIPPING & ADORABLE: Chocolate filled Strawberries
http://neighborchicks.blogspot.com/2013/05/chocolate-strawberries.html