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Chocolate-covered Strawberries

Chocolate-covered strawberries

I’m going to break form here. Normally, in each post, I tell a little story, take you on a small journey or give you kernels of insight into our lives.

Not today, no. Today, it’s all about eating with your eyes.

Because, really, what’s there to say? What could I put in words that could trigger the salivary glands better than just looking at these ruby-red, perfectly dimpled berries coated in luxuriant chocolate ganache?

I don’t know about where you live, but the strawberries here are peaking, almost over. Better start dipping.

Just melt about 8 ounces dark chocolate and a tablespoon of shortening or butter in a double-boiler and stir until smooth and glossy. Then, take your gorgeous, succulently ripe strawberries, washed and pat dry, and gently skewer them at the top. Careful not to bruise! Roll the tips of the berries in the warm chocolate, then prop them upright in styrofoam or a box with skewer-sized holes perforated in it, and let stand until the chocolate sets.

If you can wait that long.

Related:
Garrett’s dapper tuxedo-clad strawberries put my homely treats to shame.

I wouldn’t turn away a slice of Nicole’s chocolate-covered strawberry swiss roll.

According to Karina, everybody must get sconed. Even the gluten-intolerant.

Instead of chocolate-covered strawberries, how about strawberry-filled chocolate!

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This Post Has 21 Comments

  1. I wish we were neighbors. Seriously. You are killing me, Darling. Really. What more *is* there to say? Happy Friday. xox

  9. Karina: Come on over anytime!
    Amanda: Here’s a napkin.
    Anita: True, but the late ones are like the early ones — less than perfect. Of course, a little chocolate goes a long way toward fixing imperfection.
    Megan: Indeed!
    Cookie: Exactly!
    Kalyn: I promise to make them if you promise to come visit.
    Kathy: We aim to please.
    Lydia: Dreamy is the word, for sure.

  10. Sean, I’ll do the story for you: Always went to Godiva and saw them dipping chocolates. Became broke spending $$$ for one albeit huge chocolate strawberry. Went to the farmers market and bought some strawberries. Melted chocolate at home and lived happily ever after. Thanks for the inspiration!

  12. You totally had me at strawberries, but when you added chocolate AND put them on a stick, well, that just capped the deal!
    In two weeks, we’ll be doing bakeshop at school (I’m a culinary school student) and I can see this as a sweet garnish.
    I love food blogs – so many delicious ideas.
    Cheers!

  15. I’m trying to be virtuous and eat my fresh strawberries as is. But you just sent me scurrying to my kitchen for some blissful dark chocolate. Heck, it’s good for you, right? Studies have said so. As a result, I will happily pop a few chocolate-covered strawberries into my mouth because they ARE health food. I feel better already, in fact.

  18. Truly these could not be simpler. As long as you use a double-boiler (or just a bowl over a pan of simmering water, as I did) to avoid burning the chocolate, it’s a snap.

  19. Truly these could not be simpler. As long as you use a double-boiler (or just a bowl over a pan of simmering water, as I did) to avoid burning the chocolate, it’s a snap.
    .-~-.-~-.-~-.-~-.-~-.
    Sean Timberlake
    Hedonia: Eating, drinking and living the good life
    in America’s most hedonistic city, San Francisco
    http://hedonia.seantimberlake.com
    A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. ~James Beard

  20. First off let me congratulate you on using the correct terms when referring to chocolate with butter (or milk added), it’s correctly called ganache in your article. Many in the industry (including the most famous shipper of so called chocolate covered strawberries), don’t use real chocolate, yet they have advertised that way for over a decade.
    Using the method described allows the maker to avoid the need to ‘temper’ the chocolate, and that’s one of the big problems for home chefs.
    A few quick notes from someone that has dipped tens of thousands of chocolate covered strawberries and buys chocolate in 1000 pound increments (even though we use 100% chocolate rather than ganache):
    Chocolate can seize (and get clumpy) if gets too hot, in most cases there is no need to bring it above 110 degrees, and some chocolates will be ruined above 115 degrees. White chocolate is often the most sensitive to overheating.
    Common misconception: white chocolate, we’ve seen many articles saying there is no such thing, in fact the FDA has had guidance on this since the late 90’s and the regulations on it have been in force since 2002. White chocolate has an FDA “standard of identity” which lists the ingredients allowed and required in order to use the term.
    How to tell real chocolate from the fake stuff? That’s easy; look at the ingredient label: if there is cocoa butter it’s real chocolate, if there is some type of vegetable oil it’s not really chocolate.
    Your local produce suppliers (and some grocery store) can special order “long stem” strawberries for your special events, they are much easier to dip since you can gather the leaves around the stem, and the stem is much stronger then the leaves alone.
    Finding fresh berries: many supermarkets put the strawberries out un-refrigerated, for every hour the strawberry spends above 40 degrees it looses a days shelf life. Maintaining the strawberries between 32 and 40 degrees from the grower to the consumer provides the longest shelf life. You’ll want to get the strawberries from the refrigerated section of the store when possible.
    If you want to see a premium decorated chocolate covered strawberry have a look at http://www.ccberries.com/ the gallery section has pictures of some of our decorated strawberries.

  21. We didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with fruit, but alas…
    Merci, Sean, merci…beaucoup

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