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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

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With Valentine's Day coming up, I thought it was the perfect time to share this recipe for homemade chocolate-covered strawberries. The concept and method are simple, but people spend an inordinate amount of money on these at candy shops around Valentine's Day - why not make them at home!

I made these chocolate-covered strawberries for my sister's bridal shower last year. I had never made them before and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was and how good they tasted. Making them at home allows you to choose the type of chocolate you use and know exactly what's going into them. I love adding the white chocolate stripes (idea courtesy of Annie) - they make them look more elegant.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

*I'm not providing exact amounts because it varies greatly depending on how large the strawberries are and how much chocolate you like on them. Ina Garten recommends 6 ounces of dark chocolate for 12 large (long-stemmed) strawberries.

Ingredients:
strawberries
chocolate of choice (semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk) - bars or chips

For the white chocolate drizzle:
white chocolate chips
vegetable shortening or oil

Directions:
1. Wash strawberries and dry well by allowing to air dry on a paper towel or using paper towels to gently pat dry.

2. To make tempered chocolate, chop the chocolate into pieces (or use chocolate chips) and place 3/4 of it in a small glass bowl in a microwave for 20 seconds exactly. Stir the chocolate and continue to microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth and shiny.

3. Add the remaining 1/4 of the chocolate and stir until smooth. This will temper the chocolate to preserve texture and appearance.

4. Dip each strawberry into the tempered chocolate and place on a sheet pan covered with parchment or waxed paper. Refrigerate for 2 minutes to set.

5. To make the drizzle: Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave until just melted. Add a small amount (about 1/2 teaspoon) vegetable shortening or oil and stir until smooth. Transfer the white chocolate to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag with the tip cut off. Drizzle white chocolate over each strawberry to make stripe design. In my experience, it's important to work quickly with white chocolate because it seizes up more quickly than regular chocolate.

6. Refrigerate strawberries until ready to serve. Best if eaten within 24 hours.

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Ava_Hearts

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1 comment:

  1. Classic chocolate cover strawberries! YUM
    What a doll she is!

    ReplyDelete

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