Chocolate covered strawberries look so inviting and you see them pop up all over the place near Valentine’s Day. They not only taste wonderful but they are just so beautiful! They look expensive and decadent, but in truth, they are easy and anyone can make them!
Step 1) Gather all your ingredients and prep your strawberries.
What ingredients do I need to make chocolate covered strawberries at home?
I recently saw a strawberry dipping kit in the fruit section near the strawberries at my local grocery store. You can get this kit if you would prefer, but it’s not needed. All you need is the strawberries, chocolate, and any decorations you might want to add.
I really wanted to use the long-stemmed strawberries because they look so elegant, but it’s wintertime in Kentucky. The odds of even getting good strawberries are low, so I wasn’t able to find them. I did find some good looking bright red ones with fluffier bits of green stem, so those have to do.
If the strawberries don’t have a good green top, you can cut those off and insert a toothpick (double the toothpicks to make them even stronger). You can even find some cute decorative toothpick inserts to be festive.
You also may want to have some parchment or wax paper. I used my Silpat to sit them on while the chocolate set.
How long does it take to make chocolate-covered strawberries?
Chocolate covered strawberries are not labor-intensive and they don’t take long at all. You can easily make a batch of chocolate-covered strawberries within a few hours, and that includes the time it takes them to set.
You need to start with dry, clean strawberries. Wash and let them completely dry. If they are still wet, the chocolate won’t stick as well. If you get water in your chocolate mixture, it causes the chocolate to seize up. This leads to lumpy, ugly chocolate.
What is the best chocolate for chocolate covered strawberries?
The higher quality the chocolate, the better it will taste. According to King Arthur Flour, the best chocolate for dipping is couverture chocolate, which has a higher ratio of cocoa butter to cocoa, and that helps it melt more smoothly.
Step 2) Melt your chocolate to dip the strawberries.
What is the best way to melt chocolate?
I prefer to melt my chocolate in a double boiler set up to avoid scorching or burning.
Can I melt chocolate in the microwave?
Yes, you can melt chocolate in the microwave, but if you do, do it with great caution as it can easily burn.
In order to melt it in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl. Be sure the bowl is nice and clean and dry. You do not want water in your chocolate or it will seize up.
Break up the chocolate you plan to melt into small pieces and place it in the bowl. Every 20-30 seconds, you will want to take the bowl out and stir it well. Do this until it’s melted.
Step 3) Dip the strawberries!
How do you get the strawberries covered with the chocolate?
Have everything prepped ahead of time, so you can do all the dipping at once without delaying to prep more strawberries.
You can simply dip the strawberry while holding on to the green stem, swirl it around to cover it, and then hold it up and let the excess chocolate drip off. Some of my strawberries didn’t feel like they had a strong green stem, so I would hold onto the tops of the strawberry and not just the stem so they wouldn’t break off and fall into the chocolate.
If you find the dipping is harder as you run low on chocolate, you can use a spoon to help spoon the melted chocolate over the strawberry.
Once the excess chocolate drips off, immediately transfer over to your wax paper, parchment, or Silpat. Let them set out until the chocolate sets or hardens.
How do you decorate the chocolate covered strawberries?
You can add sprinkles, drizzle with a different color of chocolate, or any other decorations you can imagine. This is also a great way to get your kids involved. They will love sprinkling sanding sugar or sprinkles on your chocolate. Just be sure you do this while the chocolate is still wet so it sticks easily.
Once they are made and the chocolate is set, there are a few things you should know about storage.
How to Store Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Once the chocolate on your berries has set and you’re ready to store them, you should place them in an air-tight container with wax or parchment paper. If you plan on eating the strawberries the same day, you can wait until later to store and refrigerate them.
Place a sheet of wax or parchment paper at the bottom of an air-tight container. Add a layer of strawberries on top of the paper. Place another sheet of paper on top of the strawberries and layer in this way until you have placed them all in your container.
How long do chocolate covered strawberries last?
According to Shari’s Berries, the covered strawberries will keep 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that when you store your strawberries in the fridge, once you remove them, they will gather condensation on the chocolate and the strawberries will appear to “sweat.”
Should you refrigerate chocolate covered strawberries?
Chocolate covered strawberries should be stored in the refrigerator if out longer than 10 hours. However, if you plan to serve them the day you make them, you’ll want to avoid putting them into the fridge. Remember, condensation will gather on the chocolate and the strawberries will appear to “sweat.”
Who do you plan to give your chocolate covered strawberries to? If you decorate them, tag me on Instagram (@eyreamos) so I can see your creations!
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