Nothing conjures up a more perfect valentines day dessert for a sweetheart than a plate of delectable chocolate covered strawberries, two long-stemmed tulips of Champagne and a red, red rose. The exorbitant prices of these delicious confectionaries at the local gourmet chocolatier quickly reveals that chocolate covered strawberries are no cheap luxury, easily averaging at about two dollars each.
Thankfully, nothing could be easier to conjure up for an evening of Valentines bliss than a plate of decadent chocolate covered strawberries. This recipe for gourmet chocolate covered strawberries comes from one of the most popular high-end restaurants in Savannah, and costs less than five dollars - for well over a dozen.
Easy to make, affordable and guaranteed to make any lover swoon!
Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries
It's hard to believe that something so delicious and exquisite could be so devastatingly simple, but the key to making chocolate covered strawberries lies primarily in using a good chocolate (Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips are excellent) and being certain that those strawberries are washed and most importantly,dried thoroughly.
Even one tiny drop of moisture will ruin an absolutely perfect melted chocolate.The reason? Water will make the chocolate seize up and solidify into a thick, disgusting mess. The best bet is to wash and dry the strawberries the night before, thus ensuring a completely dry product.
Additionally, shortening is added to give the final product a gloss and sheen as well as making the chocolate easier to work with, but can be eliminated depending on preference and availability.
Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe
Note: This recipe will make between one - two dozen strawberries depending on the size, and may be doubled.
Assemble together:
- Waxed Paper
- 1 Pound of Chocolate Chips - your choice of flavors.
- 1 Tablespoon of Shortening
- Strawberries
Directions
- Microwave the bag of chocolate chips for one minute, then stir. Keep a close eye on this as all microwaves are different. The trick here is to microwave the chocolate until it is creamy and smooth. Do not give way to temptation and lick the spoon, again - just a drop of liquid will cause your chocolate to seize.
- Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, dip each strawberry about halfway into the melted chocolate, twist and remove. The strawberry should be coated thoroughly. Set the strawberry on the waxed paper to dry (this process can be quickened by cooling them in the refrigerator for approximately 10 minutes).
- For a particularly creative and festive flourish, melt an additional bowl of white chocolate chips to drizzle over the finished product. Or conversely, drizzle a bit of dulce le leche onto a plate and arrange your confections accordingly.
- Serve and enjoy!
VAL101
Lisbeth Cheever-Gessaman - Lisbeth Cheever-Gessaman is a writer, spiritual activist and free spirit who divides her time between Europe and America cultivating a ...
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