This chocolate covered strawberries recipe will take you only 15 minutes to make. It's an easy and light dessert that you can make for different occasions and decorate the way you want with different toppings.
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Ingredients you will need
Chocolate - I use semisweet chocolate chips (55% cocoa) for convenience but you can buy a chocolate bar and chop it into small pieces instead. Also, make sure that you use real chocolate that has cocoa butter in it. Couverture or a bar of good-quality sweetened baking chocolate will work best for this recipe.
Strawberries - This recipe requires fresh strawberries. You should not use frozen ones.
Sprinkles - I made this chocolate covered strawberry recipe for Valentine's Day, so I chose heart sprinkles for decoration.
Cooking tips
The strawberries should be dry before dipping them in the chocolate. Chocolate's biggest enemy is water and even one drop can ruin your dessert. If your strawberries have even slight condensation on the surface, your chocolate won't set as it should. If your strawberries are wet, the chocolate might not stick to them at all. Make sure that your strawberries are completely dry before dipping them. I use a paper towel to wipe each berry right before dipping it, even if it appears dry to me.
Don’t overheat the chocolate. If you work with dark chocolate, it shouldn’t be heated to over 45-50C before seeding it with unmelted chocolate. However, because we use a very small amount for this recipe, it's very easy to overheat it. That's why I suggest you rely on residual heat for this recipe. You'll need to melt the first part of your chocolate to the point when you still see some solid bits floating around (80-90% of the chocolate should be melted). At this point, you can add the second part of your chocolate, which will melt through residual heat very gently bringing the whole batch to temper. This is also a good method because you don't really need a thermometer here.
Apply your toppings right away. A thin layer of tempered chocolate will set on the strawberry surface very fast, so you don't want to wait before applying the toppings. Dip a strawberry, apply your topping, and move on to the next berry.
Don't make too many. This dessert is best when consumed within 24 hours. It's possible to store it in the fridge for one extra day but no longer – the water in the strawberries will leak out of the chocolate shells eventually. So, make enough to eat in one day. Also, the chocolate will be more enjoyable when stored at room temperature and therefore softer.
The best way to melt chocolate
There are two ways to melt your chocolate - using a double boiler or a microwave. For this recipe, I prefer the microwave method because we need to melt a very small amount of chocolate and I find it to be more convenient. However, if you don't have a microwave, you can definitely use a pot of simmering water and a heat-proof bowl to build your double boiler and melt your chocolate.
Step by step directions
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. To a small microwave-safe bowl, add 100g of the chocolate. Place it in a microwave and heat for 10-15 seconds at a time, mixing in between, until 80% - 90% of the chocolate has melted.
3. Add the rest of the chocolate and agitate until no solid pieces are left and the mixture has cooled down to 88F (31C).
4. Holding them by the green stem, dip each strawberry into the chocolate. Shake off the excess and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Apply the toppings of your choice. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
5. Let the chocolate set at room temperature and serve.
Possible variations
Nuts - Roll your chocolate-dipped strawberries in the finely chopped nuts of your choice.
Freeze-dried berries - Sprinkle on some chopped freeze-dried strawberries to complete your dessert.
More chocolate - Melt some white chocolate and drizzle it on top to create a striped design.
Coconut - As with the nuts, you can roll your strawberries in shredded coconut to add tropical flavor. You can use fresh or toasted shredded coconut.
FAQ
Store at room temperature for 24 hours.
You can use berries that aren’t so soft that they easily leak. Blueberries or unpitted sweet cherries will work great.
Yes, you can use white or milk chocolate instead. Note that these types of chocolate have a lower melting point and are easier to overheat.
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Easy homemade chocolate truffles
Recipe card
Chocolate covered strawberries
Equipment
- Heat-proof bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh strawberries
- 150 g semi-sweet chocolate 54% cocoa
- Toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- To a small microwave-safe bowl, add 100g of the chocolate. Place it in a microwave and heat for 10-15 seconds at a time, mixing in between, until 80% - 90% of the chocolate has melted.
- Add the rest of the chocolate and agitate until no solid pieces are left and the mixture has cooled down to 88F (31C).
- Holding them by the green stem, dip each strawberry into the chocolate. Shake off the excess and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Apply the toppings of your choice. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
- Let the chocolate set at room temperature and serve.
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