Chocolate Covered Strawberries

(c) 2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Chocolate covered strawberries make an easy and elegant candy dessert. You can substitute white or milk chocolate for semi-sweet, or experiment with double-dipping the strawberries in different chocolates to vary the flavor and appearance.

Be sure to check out the video showing how to make chocolate covered strawberries!

Prep Time: 10?minutes

Total Time: 10?minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen ripe strawberries
• 1 cup chopped chocolate (preferable) or good-quality chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil.

2. Wash the strawberries and dry them thoroughly.

3. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until it is melted, stirring after every 30 seconds. Overheated chocolate gets thick and hard to work with, so it's important to keep a careful eye on the chocolate. Remove it when some pieces are still not melted, and stir until they melt. If you are using low-quality chocolate chips, you might need to add a little vegetable shortening to thin it out and make it easy to work with.

4. Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip it in chocolate, twirling it in a circular motion to evenly cover most of the berry. As you lift it from the chocolate, twirl it so that any excess chocolate drips back into the bowl.

5. Place the berry on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining berries and chocolate.

6. Once all of the berries are dipped, refrigerate them for 30 minutes to set the chocolate. These candies taste best when eaten the same day they are made.

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