Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate Are an Elegant, Easy to Make Treat

Strawberries dipped in chocolate are an elegant treat, perfect for a party as well as for a gift. Right now strawberries are particularly abundant and sweet. Dipping the strawberries in chocolate is quite easy to do yourself and far less expensive than buying them ready-made. Follow the instructions below and you'll have beautiful strawberries dipped in chocolate for an elegant but easy treat or gift.

Select medium sized, dark red, firm berries without soft spots. Rinse thoroughly in a colander and drain well. Gently pour the strawberries out on a clean towel and allow to dry.

Melt 2 Tablespoons shortening in the top of a double boiler, over a thin layer of boiling water. Add 16 ounces of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate chips until about half the chips are melted; remove the double boiler from the heat, but leave the insert over the water. Gently stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth.

Pat each strawberry thoroughly dry with a paper towel, because any water will cause the chocolate to seize up. Grasping each strawberry by the green top, swirl about half-way up and lay on a parchment lined cookie sheet. When the sheet is full, put in the refrigerator to set up. They are best served the same day. They will last only for a day or two, after which they begin to get a little weepy, so you don't want to go overboard on how many you make. On the other hand, they are really delicious and will probably go fast.

For an alternative, you could melt white chocolate also (using the same method as above), and use it in place of the darker chocolate. If you are feeling particularly adventuresome you can coat the strawberries with one color chocolate, let set for about 10 minutes on the parchment, then dip again, about a third of the way up, for a two-toned look.

As a bonus, there will probably be more chocolate than you will need for your strawberries. But there are so many other things that you can dip and serve! Pretzel sticks, Oreo cookies, and graham crackers and large marshmallows can be half-coated like the berries. Nuts, marshmallows, and raisins can be stirred in and dipped out with a slotted spoon to make clusters. The possibilities are endless, and these things make a welcome addition to your party, or added gifts for your guests.

Now you can make strawberries dipped in chocolate to enjoy at your next party, or as an easy, elegant gift. You can present these to your mother on Mother's Day, serve them at a reception, or make them for a shower. Chocolate dipped strawberries don't have to be expensive, and as you can see, they aren't difficult to make yourself.

Resources: Personal experience