There’s something so magical about chocolate covered strawberries. Lush and velvety on the outside. Bright, juicy, and bursting with freshness on the inside. They’re basically perfection in a bite.
The best way to really experience that perfection is to start with the basics. The best strawberries. Here at Driscoll’s, we’ve been growing the sweetest, most heart-shaped strawberries for over a century. Our family has been serving chocolate covered strawberries as Valentine’s Day “I Love Yous” and joyful little surprises since the beginning.
Chocolate covered strawberries are often thought of as a fancy, regal dessert. But once you make them yourself, you’ll discover that they’re deceptively simple. All it takes is five simple steps. No experience (or magic wand) required.
Here’s our go-to recipe, plus some tips and tricks to make the process even smoother.
1.) Rinse and Dry
Rinse your Driscoll’s strawberries with water, dry them with a soft cloth, and set aside.
PRO TIP: Chocolate adheres best when berries are completely dry. So make sure to get all that water off!
2.) Melt
On the stovetop, place your favorite chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir it constantly on low heat until it’s smoothly melted.
PRO TIP: Want to skip the stove? Melt chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute in 30-second intervals. Easy!
3.) Dip
Hold your strawberry by the stem, and dip it into the melted chocolate. Swirl it until you get the coating you want. Gently shake off any excess and place your berry on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat!
PRO TIP: Our long stem strawberries are great for dipping, and add a lovely flair. But regular Driscoll’s strawberries work just as well. Insert a skewer in place of the stem to make dipping easier.
A prepared baking sheet is simply a flat baking sheet lined with wax paper.
4.) Decorate
Now it’s time to get creative. Decorate your strawberries with toppings of your choice. Some of our favorites are ground nuts, cocoa powder, sprinkles, and drizzled patterns. Check out our decorating videos for trips, tricks, and sample designs:
5.) Refrigerate
Place your baking sheet of beauties in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. Once they’re set, share the joy of delicious chocolate covered strawberries!
PRO TIP: We think chocolate covered strawberries taste best when eaten the same day they’re made. But if you’d like to store them overnight, put them in the fridge and let the berries sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes before serving.
Check out all of our Chocolate Covered Strawberry recipes here!
FAQs
It is very hard because strawberries are made of 90% water. Do not dip when they are very cold, try to use room temperature strawberries. For an even better result, do not put them in the refrigerator but in a cold place.
Why won't chocolate stick to my strawberries? ›
There are two secrets to ensuring your chocolate perfectly sticks to your strawberries. You need to fully dry the strawberries with paper towels, as too much moisture will keep the chocolate from sticking. And ensure they reach room temperature before you dip them to help the chocolate stick.
How long should strawberries sit out before dipping in chocolate? ›
Instead, try taking out the berries about an hour before dipping time, so that the chocolate is able to stick better and makes the berries at room temperature. 3. Dry, Dry, Dry! Drying the strawberries, is probably one of the most important steps and one that is often forgot.
Is it better to make chocolate covered strawberries the night before? ›
PRO TIP: We think chocolate covered strawberries taste best when eaten the same day they're made.
Should you refrigerate strawberries after dipping in chocolate? ›
If you're planning on saving your chocolate covered strawberries for more than one day, yep, they'll need to be refrigerated. Unfortunately, this means that they will sweat a little bit. To minimize sweating, place a couple sheets of paper towels into the bottom of an airtight container.
What not to do when making chocolate covered strawberries? ›
Things to Avoid
Washing the berries will make it that much easier for the water to ruin the melted chocolate. Keep this in mind while using a double boil method too!
How to avoid flat bottoms on chocolate covered strawberries? ›
Dipping the strawberries
Place the berry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and then after 5 seconds pick it up and move it over a few inches to remove even more of the chocolate. This prevents too much chocolate from pooling around the berry and making a huge flat spot.
What type of chocolate is best on strawberries? ›
Here's everything you need to know: The best chocolate for chocolate-covered strawberries: We recommend using standard semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use dark chocolate, too. If you're a fan of white chocolate, you might enjoy our strawberry ghosts.
How do you thin melted chocolate for dipping strawberries? ›
To thin melted chocolate, add a small amount of neutral oil, like vegetable oil or cocoa butter, stirring gently until it reaches the desired consistency. Melt slowly to avoid overheating, and keep water out to prevent the chocolate from seizing.
How far in advance can I make chocolate-covered strawberries? ›
Chocolate covered strawberries are best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare them a day in advance. Once the chocolate has hardened, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Remove them about 30 minutes before serving to let them come to room temperature, enhancing their flavor and texture.
Temper the chocolate.
Once you've melted the chocolate and it's smooth, remove the bowl from heat and add the reserved chocolate chips. Stir them into the mixture until they melt. The chocolate added at the end will help temper the warm chocolate to make it the right consistency and temperature for dipping.
How do you put words on chocolate-covered strawberries? ›
Put whatever melted chocolate remains after you've dipped all your berries into a piping bag (or use a plastic bag and snip a tiny bit of the bag's corner off to make a piping bag). Trace the letters with the piping bag, then let the letters cool until the chocolate is solid.
Can you use candy melts for chocolate-covered strawberries? ›
For dipping chocolate, I find it the easiest to use Wilton Candy Melts. Wilton Candy Melts come in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate – and you can also find pink and red colored white chocolate if you want a splash of color to your gourmet strawberries.
How do you keep chocolate soft on strawberries? ›
Here are my pro-tips:
- Remove any overly soft berries. These don't dip well and they certainly don't keep. ...
- Keep the stems on. You will need these later.
- Wash the strawberries and then pat them dry with hand towels or paper towels. ...
- Double boiling the chocolate is ideal.
Use a dehydrator or dry in an oven if you are able to set the oven temperature low enough. Drying time depends on the size of the berry pieces, exposure to air to cut surfaces, temperature, air circulation and method of drying. 7 to 15 hours for slices. 24 to 36 hours for whole berries.
