Who doesn't love some Chocolate Dipped Strawberries for Valentine's Day? Juicy fresh strawberries covered in dark and white chocolate, the perfect surprise for your loved one on Valentine's Day!
No sooner has Christmas left us than the next foodie event is coming up fast, Valentine's Day. It isn't a true holiday but it sure gets treated like one by food bloggers because of the one awesome ingredient we all like to use...chocolate!
And there's nothing that screams romantic dessert more than big juicy chocolate dipped strawberries covered in dark chocolate and creamy white chocolate! I'm lucky to have plenty of the best California strawberries always available and they're perfect for dipping.
You'd think it would be easy to dip strawberries, and it is but there are a few tips I want to throw your way.
How to get perfect chocolate dipped strawberries!
- Always use a good brand of chocolate. It might cost a little extra but the taste will be better and it'll be easier to work with.
- Melt your chocolate over a double boiler. I know the microwave seems faster but the boiler is still pretty fast and you can keep a better eye on it.
- Make sure your strawberries are dry. Chocolate hates moisture and will let you know this in a heartbeat by turning into clay and you'll be super sad.
So any moisture can be taken away by gently patting the strawberries with a paper towel. - I like to use Lindt or Guittard Chocolate. The reason I said nay to the chocolate flavored discs is that they have so many other preservatives and It becomes kinda goopy when it finally melts.
Using good chocolate will give you a nice silky melt, easy to work with and giving each strawberry a thin coat.
How do I melt chocolate?
If you can't get it together with a double boiler, chocolate can be melted in the microwave but you better be prepared to watch it very carefully. Chocolate is temperamental and hates to be too cold or too hot.
Give it a stir about every 25 seconds until it has enough heat to melt itself. Melting white chocolate in the microwave is even more stressful and will burn quicker than dark chocolate, you have to keep a very close eye on it.
How to keep your melted chocolate thin and silky smooth.
Another tip is to add some kind of oil to the melted chocolate like olive oil or vegetable oil, maybe a tablespoon or two. It helps to keep the chocolate from becoming too thick and leaves your strawberry with a nice even coating.
The oil helps give you a consistency that is easier for dipping.
This post was originally published on 1/23/14. I have updated the photographs and some of the text.
.png)
