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Chocolate Covered Strawberries/ Fruit PLUS how to temper chocolate

Equipment

  • For tempering chocolate you will need a thermometer that will register from 80 degrees-120 degrees

Ingredients

  • Around 6oz of chocolate will coat around 1lb of strawberries. However, the size of strawberries, if you decided to do multiple layers of chocolate, etc will all impact how much you need. You can also use around 3oz of another type of chocolat to drizzle on top (coat with dark chocolate and drizzle with white).
  • Toppings: if you want to add sprinkles, crushed nuts, coconut, toffee...etc to the strawberries- go for it!
  • If you hate strawberries- then choose any other type of fruit- dried fruit works too!

Chocolate Type: If you wish to temper chocolate then you will be working with real chocolate- where cocoa butter is listed as the main ingredient. Compound chocolate like melting wafers and almond bark and some chocolate chips - do not need to be tempered and can be melted and used immediately. HOWEVER, if you are just making these to enjoy yourself and don't feel like going through the effort of tempering the chocolate, then you can simply melt it like compound chocolate- just know that it may not look as glossy as you would like.  But it will taste just as good! 

Instructions

Tempering Chocolate : There are a few ways to temper chocolate, I'm simply going to explain the way that I teach in the classes. 

  • Chop chocolate into small pieces either by hand or in food processor. With both micorwave and double boiler on stove, you will be reserving 1/3 of your chocolate.
    STEP 1
    Microwave: use microwave safe bowl and heat 2/3 of the chocolate (start with 30 seconds, remove, stir check temp and then heat in 10-15 second intervals until you reach correct temp).
    Double boiler: put around 1 in of water into a sauce pan and place on top a metal or glass bowl that fits snugly and doesn't touch the water. Heat on medium heat until chocolate is melted- stiring often with rubber spatula and reaches the correct temp. Then remove from heat- placing bowl with chocolate on counter.
    TEMPS: Semi sweet/Dark chocolate- heat to around 115 degrees F- do not exceed 120 degrees.
    Milk or White Chocolate- heat to 110 degrees- do not exceed 115 degrees F.
  • STEP 2
    Stir in the reserved 1/3 chocolate- this works to lower the temp of the chocolate. Stir until it reaches around 80-82 degrees. It can take 10-30min depending on amount of chocolate, temp of kitchen...
  • STEP 3
    Reheat chocolate either in microwave or back on double boiler until it reaches 90 degrees (88 degrees for milk or white chocolate). Advantage of double boiler- once chocolate reaches 90 degrees, turn off heat and leave bowl on top of saucepan, this will usually keep the chocolate at the 90 degrees longer while you use it. If the chocolate cools too much, you need to repeat the process.

Melting compound chocolate (melting wafers, some brands of chocolate chips and almond bark...)

  • Melt in microwave (1 min to start then ~ 15 second intervals stirring in between) or double boiler until fully melted. That's it!

Dipping fruit ( dried fruits such as tangerines are fun to dip too!)

  • Holding strawberries by stem ( you can try using toothpick to hold strawberry but I often do not have great luck with that), dip into melted chocolate- twist as you pull it out to allow excess chocolate to drip off and set onto parchment paper. If you with to top with anything- do so while chocolate is still wet. Otherwise let it harden before drizzeling with white chocolate or whatever other type of chocolate. Using a fork to drizzle works well for most. Store covered in fridge for 1-2 days.