Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry

This gorgeous bouquet is a great dessert for Valentine’s day or an anniversary. Half of the strawberries will look like roses, while the other half will be covered with unsweetened dark chocolate chips, for a cute bouquet that makes for a great gift or centerpiece.

Remember, berries especially are prone to heavy pesticide use so spring for organic if you can. Don’t skewer them before you dip, as they can accidentally slide off. Also, don’t keep it in the chocolate for too long, as the heat can cause the strawberry to mush.

A bain-marie is helpful in this case, but if you don’t have, a bowl inside a warm, pre simmering, not boiling pot of water can be used as a bain-marie in a pinch, this way the chocolate tempers properly and doesn’t burn. Use unsweetened dark chocolate which is full of good antioxidants and no sugar. 

Ingredients

• ½ dozen large organic strawberries, with the leaves still on. Pick ones that are round for the roses. 3 will be roses, 3 will be dark chocolate covered.
• 1 dozen bamboo skewers
• 2 cups organic unsweetened dark chocolate chips
• Water for the hot water bath
• Pot
• Bowl
• Cupcake pan 
• Ribbons

Directions

1. Wash the strawberries well and then dry them thoroughly, any water left on the strawberries will prevent the chocolate from adhering to the berries.
2. To make the rose strawberries, using a knife, cut four slits in the strawberry near the base, parallel to the base. Make four more cuts above those cuts, and gently separate the “petals” from the strawberry body. Make sure you dry it well in case any juice leaks out. Skewer them. Repeat with the other 2 (Three strawberry roses total.)
3. Bring the water in the stove to a pre-simmer.
4. Place the chocolate chips in the bowl and place the bowl in the pot, careful to not let water get into the bowl. 
5. Using a wooden spatula, stir the chocolate to make sure it all melts evenly.
6. Holding the non-rose strawberries by their leaves, dip them almost up to their base in the chocolate, and place them chocolate side up in a cupcake pan. Repeat with all the non-rose strawberries and place them into the fridge to harden. 
7. In the meantime, tie the ribbons on the skewers.
8. Once the chocolate has cooled, skewer the strawberries and arrange in a vase.