Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberries
A juicy sweet strawberry dipped in high quality semi-sweet chocolate is iconic. This post answers all of your strawberry dipping questions so that you can make chocolate covered strawberry perfection.
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Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberries
A juicy sweet strawberry dipped in high quality semi-sweet chocolate is iconic. This post answers all of your strawberry dipping questions so that you can make chocolate covered strawberry perfection.
Are you a fan of chocolate dipped strawberries? Well that’s great news because you’ve found the right blog post. The ever popular dessert for Valentine’s day, mother’s day, birthdays, or any day, are fairly easy to find in grocery stores. BUT they are so easy to make at home and they’ll taste x10 better.
Ingredients
Fresh strawberries: Try to pick out a batch free from bruises, shriveling, soft spots, and very dark colors. Look for bright red/white and firm strawberries.
Good quality chocolate: High quality chocolate will have sugar, cocoa butter, and chocolate in their ingredients. Avoid chocolate that’s full of stabilizers, fillers, vegetable oils, etc. I like Ghirardelli, Baker’s, Guittard, and Callebaut. In this post, I’m using Callebaut No 811 chips which comes in a 5.5 lb bag. It’s a lot of chocolate and pricey, but lasts a long time and taste AMAZING. I like buying high quality chocolate that I can have on hand. If you’re just looking for a single bag of chips, try Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking chips.
Cool water and white vinegar: This vinegar wash will help to extend your strawberries shelf life. It kills bacteria and really cleans the strawberries throughly.
Melting & Tempering
You can use a double boiler to melt and temper chocolate, but the microwave makes things easy!
Simply, tempering chocolate means heating and cooling chocolate down enough so the crystals in cocoa butter rearrange. This magic creates that signature crack or snap. It’s DELICIOUS and the texture is what takes a chocolate dessert to the next level. Using high quality chocolate will help you easily reach tempered chocolate.
Is tempering necessary? No, but I recommend it. Un-tempered chocolate will still taste good but it’ll be soft and melts easily on your fingers.
To temper: Add the chopped chocolate into a microwavable safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds. Stir, then heat on high power for 30 more seconds. It should be about 85% melted. To temper the chocolate, you want to cool it down slightly by stirring in the unmelted chocolate bits until smooth.
How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Prep The Strawberries
In a large bowl, stir the cool water and vinegar together. Add in the strawberries and soak them for 10 minutes.
Drain the water and rinse the strawberries in fresh cool water. Dry the strawberries completely (water and chocolate don’t mix).
Melting Chocolate
Add the chocolate into a microwavable safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds. Stir, then heat again for 30 more seconds. Stir, and heat for 15 seconds. It should be about 85% melted. To temper the chocolate, stir the unmelted chocolate pieces until smooth.
For easier dipping, pour the chocolate into a tall, wide mouth jar or glass. I’m using a wide mouth jam jar.
Dipping
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Or tear a sheet and place on a flat surface.
Gather the strawberry leaves together. For easier dipping, insert a toothpick into the center. Dip the strawberry into the melted chocolate just below the leaves. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then scrape one side lightly against the bowl. This side will sit on the parchment paper.
Add optional toppings before the chocolate sets.
Dip all the strawberries and let them set for at least 10 minutes. After the chocolate has set, and you want to add drizzle, reheat the leftover chocolate and pour into a piping bag or ziplock bag. Snip off a teeny tiny corner. Apply light pressure to the bag while making back and forth motions, drizzling over the strawberry. Let the chocolate set for 10 minutes.
Strawberries are best eaten within 24 hours. If you have leftover, store in the refrigerator in a container with loosely wrapped plastic wrap or uncovered. Strawberries like air!
faqs
bEST CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING STRAWberries
High quality chocolate DOES make a difference in taste and tempering. High quality chocolate will have sugar, cocoa butter, and chocolate in their ingredients. Avoid chocolate that’s full of stabilizers, fillers, vegetable oils, etc. I like using Ghirardelli, Baker’s, Guittard, and Callebaut.
In this post, I’m using Callebaut No 811 chips which comes in a 5.5 lb bag. It’s a lot of chocolate and pricey, but lasts a long time and taste AMAZING. I like buying high quality chocolate that I can have on hand. If you’re just looking for a single bag of chips, try Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking chips.
Are they gluten free?
Yes! However, check if the ingredients for any toppings you add contain gluten.
How to store chocolate covered strawberries
Line a container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Place the strawberries in the container and loosely cover the top with plastic wrap. Airtight containers with lids are okay for transporting, but when storing in the fridge it’s easier for mold to grow. You can also store them uncovered.
Why are my strawberries leaking?
Condensation from the berries can cause leakage fairly quickly. That’s why it’s recommended to eat them right away!
Can I add oil to dipping chocolate?
When using high quality chocolate, you don’t need to add oil. It is possible to temper chocolate when adding oil but it’s much easier without it. It makes more sense to add oil when working with candy melts.
How long do chocolate covered strawberries last?
They last anywhere from 24-48 hours in the fridge. Chocolate covered strawberries taste the best when eaten right away.
Can I freeze Chocolate Covered Strawberries?
I don’t recommend it. After defrosting the strawberries will be mushy and the condensation will change the chocolates texture. If you do freeze them, try eating them frozen!
What other toppings can i add?
Chopped nuts, toasted coconut flakes, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate, edible glitter, crushed graham crackers.
RECIPE CARD
Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Equipment
- Microwaveable bowl
- Tall wide mouth glass, jar, or cup
- Piping bag or ziplock bag for drizzle
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, with stems and leaves
- 12 oz high quality chocolate bittersweet, white, dark, or milk chocolate (I'm using Callebaut No811 chips)
- 3 cups cool water (24 oz)
- ½ cup white vinegar (4 oz)
Instructions
Prep The Strawberries
- In a large bowl, stir the cool water and vinegar together. Add in the strawberries at soak them for 10 minutes.
- Drain the water and rinse the strawberries in fresh cool water. Dry the strawberries completely (water and chocolate don't mix).
Melting Chocolate
- Add the chocolate into a microwavable safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds. Stir, then heat again for 30 more seconds. Stir, and heat for 15 seconds. It should be about 85% melted. To temper the chocolate, stir the unmelted chocolate pieces until smooth.
- For easier dipping, pour the chocolate into a tall, wide mouth jar. I'm using a jam jar.
Dipping
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Or tear a sheet and place on a flat surface.
- Gather the strawberry leaves together. For easier dipping, insert a toothpick into the center. Dip the strawberry into the melted chocolate just below the leaves. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then scrape one side lightly against the bowl. This side will sit on the parchment paper.
- Add optional toppings before the chocolate sets.
- Dip all the strawberries and let them set for at least 10 minutes. For drizzle, reheat the leftover chocolate and pour into a piping bag or ziplock bag and snip off a teeny tiny corner. Apply light pressure to the bag while making back and forth motions, drizzling over the strawberry. Let the chocolate set.
- Strawberries are best eaten within 24 hours. If you have leftover, store in the refrigerator in a container with loosely wrapped plastic wrap or uncovered. Strawberries like air!
Notes
- Washing strawberries in a white vinegar wash helps to extend their freshness and throughly cleans them.
- Dry the strawberries completely or the chocolate can seize.
- High quality chocolate will help with tempering and taste amazing. I’m using Callebaut No 811 chips. It’s a 5.5 lb bag which lasts a long time! I also recommend Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking chips.
- Eat within 24 hours! Strawberries can leak after 24-48 hours.
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