Kent Whitaker - author
Kent Whitaker, Author of this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Post, also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at: The Deck Chef, on Facebook, or Instagram, and Twitter.
Three Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Hacks
Chocolate-covered strawberries and Valentine’s day go together! The combination of flavor, texture, and sweetness make for a perfect treat.
It’s decadent enough to satisfy a craving and yet we can munch down on them without worrying about calories from the chocolate… because calories don’t count on February 14th!
Sadly, the calories still count, but why not enjoy the moment! The great thing is that you can make these on your own as a surprise for a loved one. Or, you can make them as a couple, and the recipe can be kid-friendly once the chocolate is melted.
Don’t Stress about Melting Chocolate
First, don’t worry about melting chocolate.
Simply follow the directions on the packaging! Just make sure you purchase melting chocolate for making candy. The package will be marked and in the baking section of your grocery store. Sometimes it’s called “bark” chocolate.
If you are comfortable using a double boiler, then go that route. If not, almost every package has directions for using a microwave.
And, if you don’t want to melt chocolate and let it re-harden, a simple squeeze bottle chocolate drizzle never made anyone mad!
Prep the Strawberries
Here’s the secret to making chocolate covered strawberries and it’s not the chocolate! It is the strawberries! To be exact – it is the moisture in the strawberries! People may think they did something wrong with melting chocolate because it does not stick to the strawberry!
That may be because the strawberries are moist or wet.
Make sure when you rinse and remove excess stems that you allow them to completely dry. And, avoid slicing the strawberries. You want a dry, whole strawberry.
One note – leave some of the green at the top of the strawberry, but remove any excess or browned pieces.
The Process – Simple!
Ok, you have your clean and dry strawberries and some melted chocolate.
You also have your sprinkles ready… what’s next? Here’s the trick! Get a large shot glass or small mug. Pour in some chocolate. Do the same with your sprinkles – or place the sprinkles on small plates.
Dip the strawberry in the chocolate, dip or roll in the sprinkles, place on a plate or cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, and allow the chocolate to harden.
If needed, use a wood skewer inserted into the top of the strawberry to serve as a handle.
Now – Three Chocolate
Covered Strawberry Hacks!
Here are three ideas that can take your chocolate covered strawberries to the next level! Starting with some added heat!
Add Some Heat: The flavor of chocolate is amazing but have you tried adding some heat? A few drops of hot sauce or dashes of chili powder offers a very subtle flavor boost! Be careful if using hot sauce, only a drop or two should be added to your melting chocolate.
If you add too much your chocolate may not fully harden. If you’re worried about that, add a few dashes of chili powder.
Add Sprinkles or a Drizzle: The addition of a white chocolate drizzle is a common touch when making Chocolate covered strawberries. And, you can make them out of white chocolate and drizzle with brown.
But don’t pass on sprinkles! Anything you can sprinkle on a cupcake you can add to a chocolate-covered strawberry. One note of caution – check for peanut allergies before adding chopped nuts!
Flavored Rum: Ok, this one is for the adults! If you like flavored rum, such as banana or pineapple… or whatever you like, then use a clean injector and add a little squirt to the inside of your strawberries! You can use the small needle that comes with a meat injector – just make sure it is clean! If you need to purchase one, don’t worry, they can be found for only a few dollars.
There are plenty of other ways you can tweak tasty candy recipes to your liking.
These are just a few ideas to get your taste buds going. Remember, the key to successful chocolate covered strawberries is starting with a clean and dry strawberry.
And, have everything in place ready to go once your chocolate is melted as it will start the hardening process shortly after being removed from heat. So enjoy your Chocolate covered strawberries.
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