Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

  Chocolate Covered strawberries are one of the easiest and most delicious treats you can make.  They are perfect for Valentine’s Day but also make a great addition to your weekly meal prep. What Kind of Chocolate Should You Use For Your Chocolate Covered Strawberries? You will need 6 ounces of chocolate for 16 ounces of strawberries.  Buy your favorite type of chocolate; milk chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, they all work. The higher the quality of your chocolate, the higher quality of your final product. I usually use the 72 % dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s, but again, choose your personal favorite. And even if all you have on hand are chocolate chips, then use them.  You can still make some darn pretty delicious chocolate covered strawberries, even with chocolate chips. How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries Choose your strawberries: look for fresh strawberries that are bright red and smell great.  Smell is a great indicator of how they will taste.  Try to find berries with healthy green stems attached and minimal whiteness towards the top of the berry (the more red the better).  Be sure your berries are firm and not too soft or over ripe. Wash and dry strawberries.  Your strawberries must be completely dry before dipping into the chocolate, otherwise the moisture will cause the chocolate to seize and your strawberries will be a bust. Prep your station.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set up a double boiler to melt your chocolate.  You can also melt your chocolate in the microwave if you prefer. How To Melt Chocolate for Chocolate Covered Strawberries Stove Top: It’s easy to create a double boiler;  fill a small pot with an inch or two of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place a small bowl on top of the pot.  You want the bowl to be wide enough not to fall into the pot and tall enough that it does not touch the water at the bottom of the pot. Add the chopped chocolate and coconut oil into the bowl and stir occasionally, until smooth then carefully remove from heat.   Take care to not let any water get into the chocolate or it will seize. Microwave: Add chocolate and coconut oil to a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on low for 60 seconds, stir then continue to microwave on low at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Dip strawberries: Carefully hold the strawberry by the stem and dip in the chocolate, turning to coat. Lift strawberry and the let excess chocolate drip off.  Place on on lined baking sheet and repeat until you have worked through all the strawberries. How To Store Chocolate Covered Strawberries I love making chocolate covered strawberries on the weekend and then storing them in an airtight container right in my fridge. Be sure to line the bottom of your container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture; this ensures that your chocolate covered strawberries will happily last for up to five days in the fridge (sometimes even longer if the strawberries are super fresh). Print Recipe Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe Yield: Makes 20 strawberries Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 6 ounces of chocolate (I use Trader Joe's 72% dark chocolate bar) 2 teaspoons coconut oil (or any oil you prefer) 16 ounces strawberries (15-25 depending on their size) Directions: Wash strawberries and lay out to dry on a clean dish towel.  Be sure they are super dry before dipping them in the chocolate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Bring a couple inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a small saucepan, then reduce down to a simmer. Place any bowl that will fit on top of the pot without touching the water on the bottom to create a double boiler. Break the chocolate into small chunks and add to the bowl with the coconut oil.  Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted down Carefully remove the bowl from you double boiler and gently hold a strawberry by the greens and dip into the melted chocolate.  Allow excess chocolate to drip off and then place strawberry on your baking sheet and repeat until you have finished all the berries. Place strawberries into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set up and then transfer into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.   *If you have any extra melted chocolate, dip whatever you can get your hands on in there!! Think nuts, dried fruits, pretzels, etc. *Chocolate covered strawberries are most delicious once they are closer to room temperature.  Try taking your strawberries out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving. **If you have any extra melted chocolate in your bowl, don't throw it away.  You can dip nuts, dried fruits, pretzels, etc. in the leftover, so look through your cabinets and enjoy. Calories: 47; Total Fat: 2.4g; Saturated Fat: 1.5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 2mg; Carbohydrate: 5.8g; Dietary Fiber: 0.8g; Sugars: 4.3g; Protein: 0.5g