Chocolate-covered strawberries are a beloved dessert for good reason. The sweet juiciness of fresh strawberries dipped in smooth, rich chocolate is simply delicious.
Making chocolate-covered strawberries at home is also fun and surprisingly easy with the right techniques.
This complete guide will teach you everything you need to know to make picture-perfect chocolate-covered strawberries.
Why Use Couverture Chocolate?
The key to professional-quality chocolate-covered strawberries is using a high-quality chocolate specifically formulated for dipping and enrobing called couverture.
Couverture chocolate contains extra cocoa butter (at least 31%), allowing it to become perfectly smooth and fluid when melted. This lets the melted chocolate coat in a nice thin layer over the strawberries.
Regular chocolate chips or baking chocolate does not have enough cocoa butter. When melted, it will be too thick to properly coat strawberries. The high cocoa butter content also gives couverture chocolate shine and snap once set.
Couverture comes in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties. Popular brands of couverture chocolate disks include Guittard, Valrhona, Callebaut, and Ghirardelli. Couverture chocolate is more expensive than regular chocolate chips but worth it for beautiful chocolate-covered strawberries.
Tempering Is Essential
To get couverture chocolateβs signature glossy finish and crisp bite, proper tempering is a must. Tempering involves carefully heating and cooling melted chocolate to form stable crystals.
Untempered chocolate will have a dull, blotchy appearance and soft texture. Properly tempered chocolate hardens with a smooth, shiny coating that resists melting at warm room temperatures.
Tempering does take some practice, but once mastered, it becomes second nature. There are several methods of tempering from seeding to using a kitchen thermometer. We recommend the double boiler method for beginners.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for picture-perfect chocolate-covered strawberries at home:
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries with stems, washed and thoroughly dried
- 16 oz high-quality couverture/dipping chocolate (dark, milk, or white), chopped
- Toppings like sprinkles, crushed nuts, coconut, etc. (optional)
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt 2/3 of the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or makeshift double boiler, stirring frequently.
- Once mostly melted, remove from heat and stir continuously until completely smooth.
- Using an instant-read thermometer, bring melted chocolate’s temperature down to: Dark: 88-90Β°F Milk: 86-88Β°F White: 84-86Β°F
- Once cooled to proper temperature range, return double boiler insert to stove over simmering water.
- Add remaining 1/3 chopped chocolate pieces to melted chocolate, stirring constantly until completely melted and smooth.
- Hold melted chocolate at temperatures above, stirring often.
- Wash and thoroughly dry strawberries. Leave stems intact.
- Holding strawberries by the stem, dip into melted chocolate, submerging 3/4 of the way.
- Lift, let excess chocolate drip back into pot, then swirl to smooth out chocolate coating.
- Place on prepared baking sheet. If using toppings, sprinkle them over the chocolate coating before it sets.
- Once all strawberries are coated, transfer baking sheet to refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set.
- Enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries stored chilled for up to 4 days.
Decorating and Serving Tips
Beyond simply dipping strawberries in chocolate, you can take your chocolate-covered strawberries to the next level with fun decorations and presentations:
- Drizzle with contrasting chocolate for a marbled effect
- Roll coated edges in chopped nuts, sprinkles, crushed cookies, etc.
- Stuff hulled strawberries with sweetened cream cheese before dipping
- Arrange in cups or serve on skewers for easier eating
- Mix in fresh mint leaves for a fancy garnish
Chocolate-covered strawberries make for the perfect hand-held dessert. Surprise your sweetheart with a homemade box of them for a thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift or make a batch to impress guests at your next dinner party.
With quality couverture chocolate and proper technique, you can make restaurant-worthy chocolate-covered strawberries at home. These melt-in-your mouth treats are sure to delight chocolate and fruit lovers alike.