Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Have you ever seen those beautiful chocolate covered strawberries in the grocery or candy store and wouldn't buy them because they were so expensive? Instead of spending all that money why don't you make them yourself? I can honestly tell you that these are some of the easiest things to make. If you have a little time you can really get creative and add all kinds of extras.


These are best eaten the day that they are made, if you can't serve them within a few hours I wouldn't make them. Trust me - I know this from experience!


1. Buy the nicest berries you can find. I purchased these four cartons for $6.  Wash and then make sure strawberries are thoroughly dried before dipping.

2.  Decide what kind of chocolate you want to use for dipping.  In the picture below I used Kraft - Baker's Dipping Chocolate which is about $3.00 tub, the other option is to melt your own chocolate.

Dipping Product
If using a product specifically for dipping follow instructions on the container.  Typically you will remove the lid, microwave for 30 seconds and then repeat until product is smooth and creamy.  DO NOT overcook the chocolate otherwise it will get clumpy and not dip well.  Once it reaches that stage it's impossible to make it smooth and creamy again.

Melting Your Own Chocolate
On occasion I will melt my own chocolate which is a little bit more difficult than the first option but not impossible.  I would recommend melting your own chocolate over a double broiler.  It is possible to melt in the microwave but I tend to have limited success when doing it this way.

3.  Grasp the strawberry by the stem and dip in the chocolate making sure to cover completely.

4.  Place completed strawberries on waxed paper to harden.  For best results place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until chocolate is set.

5.  Enjoy!

 
 
The above strawberries cost me about $4.50 to make and were delicious! 
 
Other options:
 
Double dipping - If I have spare time I'll run the strawberries through a second dipping to make them really chocolaty.  A little bit more expensive but really good!
Drizzle with white chocolate - Once chocolate has completely set you can melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top.  This kicks it up a notch and makes it look a little bit more 'professional'.
Tuxedo Strawberries - If you really want to knock the socks off your guests you can make tuxedo strawberries.  Instead of doing your first dip in milk chocolate you will want to use white chocolate.  After the white chocolate sets you will do a second dip in milk (or dark) chocolate making sure you only dip the sides meeting in the front.  The front of the strawberry should resemble a closed jacket.  Once you have 'added the jacket' you will want to take a toothpick, dip it in chocolate and add a couple of buttons to finish off the tuxedo.
Add extras - Immediately following the original dipping you can dip in whatever your imagination can dream up; Oreo cookie crumbs, mini chocolate chips, etc
 
Do you do anything special with your chocolate covered strawberries to 'dress them up'?