chocolate dipped strawberries
I don’t know why chocolate dipped strawberries are seen as some kind of romantical (don’t steal that word from me!), expensive treat for special occasions. Sure, the version sold at specialty stores are made from huge strawberries with long stems and premium chocolate, but I find that stemless, smaller strawberries and lower-end chocolate are equally delicious. These guys are also ridiculously easy to make; it took an event as big as my cousin Brenda’s bachelorette party for me to realize how simple and hassle-free it is to make an impressive treat for a lot of people at the last minute (the idea occurred to me 5 minutes after stepping into Trader Joe’s, and 3 hours before party time).
recipe:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 to 1 ½ pound strawberries (about 1 dry quart)
Bring about an inch of water to a simmer in a small pot or saucepan. Place a medium bowl over the pot (the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl). You could also use a double boiler if you have one. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Add butter and enough heavy cream for the chocolate mixture to become smooth and dippable.
Dip strawberries in the chocolate mixture, and place on a baking sheet, large plate, or large tray lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 to 45 minutes.
