DD wants Chocolate Covered Strawberries....help

[blessedby3]

My dd is getting ready to have her 21st birthday, and when I asked her what kind of cake or pie she wants, she said she wanted chocolate covered strawberries. She had one on our last Disney trip and loved it. Anyone ever make these and do you have an EASY receipe for this? Do you have to put them in the fridge or freezer afterwards? Thanks

 

[Pixieflip]

We make these all the time with a store bought dipping chocolate. For the life of me, I can't remember the brand! Sorry! But they sell it in the product department in a small round cardboard container with a plastic lid, sort of like a peanut can looking thing. It's not too expensive and really, really easy to use. We get nice looking dipped strawberries every time. You put the container in the microwave and melt the chips in 30 sec intervals until smooth. Then you dip. Serve on a nice platter. They are best when you serve them right away, do not make them way ahead. I think I usually leave them out of the fridge, that makes them sweat...and that just looks weird.

One tip I have learned is to make sure after you wash the strawberries, to really pat them dry. You don't want them to be watery inside.

They really are a big hit, enjoy!

ETA: Dolci Frutta! That's the name.

 

[blessedby3]

We make these all the time with a store bought dipping chocolate. For the life of me, I can't remember the brand! Sorry! But they sell it in the product department in a small round cardboard container with a plastic lid, sort of like a peanut can looking thing. It's not too expensive and really, really easy to use. We get nice looking dipped strawberries every time. You put the container in the microwave and melt the chips in 30 sec intervals until smooth. Then you dip. Serve on a nice platter.

One tip I have learned is to make sure after you wash the strawberries, to really pat them dry. You don't want them to be watery inside.

They really are a big hit, enjoy!

ETA: Dolci Frutta! That's the name.

Thanks for the quick reply. I will look for this product. I figured I would be melting chocolate chips or something.
Dont you need to put these in the fridge or something to get them to harden, or does this choc. set up on its own?

 

[Pixieflip]

Oh, and Happy Birthday to your DD! And hey! It looks like you'll be at WDW the same time we are! We're going to OKW for my DD's 13th birthday. It's a surprise.

 

[Pixieflip]

Sorry, I edited that after you were already reading it. I do not put them in the fridge. They sweat. Make them as close to the time you are serving them as possible. They can sit for an hour or so, then they kind of get weepy.

It sets up very quickly on its own.

Hope that helps.

 

[lizabu]

These are so easy to make. Pick out nice big berries and wash them. Dry them really well. You don't want water in your chocolate. Lay out some wax paper on a cookie sheet. Buy coating chocolate. There are a few different brands. Michael's sells a candy coating and bulk stores sell Merken's chocolate wafers. Any of these will work fine. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler which is a metal bowl over a pot of gently boiling water or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl 1 minute at a time stirring and popping back in until its all melted. Dip the strawberry, put it on the tray. Popping it in the fridge will make the chocolate set faster. If you feel fancy you can drizzle a 2nd color of chocolate over the 1st color.

ETA: I wouldn't keep them in the fridge for any length of time either. A few minutes just to make them set faster won't cause them to weep.

 

[blessedby3]

Thanks so much! Have a great surprise trip for your dd. When is her birthday? We are celebrating our ds's birthday on our trip. His is June 1st and he will be 16.

 

[Minnie116]

just want to add that when you wash your berries prior to dipping them, be sure to dry them really well.

 

[amamax2]

We use the Dolci Frutta all the time - you can get it in choc or white choc.

Besides the other advice you have gotten, one more suggestion: don't melt a lot at once. Make it in batches. The choc sets up VERY fast, so you only want to melt a bit at a time, otherwise it will harden in the bowl and will burn if you try to re-melt it.

We usually only make about 10 - 15 at a time (just for our family to eat for dessert) - we like to dip in choc and then pour the white for stripes.

 

[ZandZsMom]

I have used Baker's Brand melting chocolate, they sell it in a small tub in the baking aisle and Wilton Candy Melts work well also.

Enjoy!

 

[Pixieflip]

Thanks so much! Have a great surprise trip for your dd. When is her birthday? We are celebrating our ds's birthday on our trip. His is June 1st and he will be 16.

Her birthday is June 10, but May works out better for travel. She has an idea that something is coming, but she will NOT expect it in May!! Hehe!

 

[Carrie772]

Have you ever seen the tuxedo chocolate strawberries room service does? They are awesome! I will try to post a pic.

 

[blessedby3]

Her birthday is June 10, but May works out better for travel. She has an idea that something is coming, but she will NOT expect it in May!! Hehe!

Have a great time...I love surprising kids with Disney trips!

Have you ever seen the tuxedo chocolate strawberries room service does? They are awesome! I will try to post a pic.

These look so yummy! Wish I had the talent to do this...Im afraid mine will be plain jane! Thanks for posting the pic

 

[Carina]

I do the tuxedo style for my kids every Valentines day TRUST ME they are SOOOO easy.

You just dip the front of the strawberry in white choc. and let it set

The you dip the left and right sides in regular choc. ( to make the jacket) when they're all done put the last bit of melted choc into a baggie and put a teeny tiny snip in one corner 2-3 dots for a button and 2 triangle'ish shapes back to abck for the bowtie and your done.

It's MUCH harder to describe than do but you've just gotta make them tuxedo style. She'll think you put all this effort into it and really only you and I will know the truth ( and everyone else on that reads this thread)

You can use melting wafers or even just choc and white chips

I cant find a good video on google videos but there are a few long winded ones.

one thing I noticed is most of the videos tell you to dip the entire berry (up to the green) in the white. it works MUCh better if you just dip the front 1/2 that way there is not pooled white chocolate hardened on the back when you do the 2nd step. ( plus it just wastes the white choc)

Watch this one on mute ( can't stand him but it's the best example that dosent take 6 mins to watch)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT07HqBnFQ0

 

[MrsPete]

Just backing up what others said: You must eat these right away -- as in, perhaps within two hours. They begin to "sweat" and are no good afterward. I figure that's why they're so expensive to buy -- they have to be made last-minute.

Obviously, you shouldn't make a large quantity. Just make what you'll use immediately -- no saving these!

 

[dixonismydog]

I agree with all the other tips.......but we just use regular ole' chocolate chips.........melt them slow in the microwave and set them on wax paper. Perfect and yummy everytime.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Just backing up what others said: You must eat these right away -- as in, perhaps within two hours. They begin to "sweat" and are no good afterward. I figure that's why they're so expensive to buy -- they have to be made last-minute.

Obviously, you shouldn't make a large quantity. Just make what you'll use immediately -- no saving these!

Hmmm, find this interesting. MIL made me a bunch one year being my favorites too. I ate several of them, but put the rest in the fridge and enjoyed them for the next 2 days. As long as they are completely set before refrig. them they're fine. You may get a little sweating, but they were fine and just as YUMMY

 

[johde]

You can also use the candy bars. Just shave the chocolate down into small pieces before melting it. The key here is to melt it slowly and evenly. You want the chocolate to just melt. On "Good Eats" Alton Brown melts his Chocolate in a bowl on top of a heating pad instead of the microwave. It took longer but helped insure you didn't get it too hot. We used the microwave when I was young and mom made homemade molded candies. We would go to the bulk food store and buy chunks they had split off the 20lb bars of chocolate.

 

[jmatlick]

We do this a few times a month, especially on Disney Family Movie Night. I have the Wilton chocolate melter ($20 at Walmart). We put in some bark and chips melt it. We use all sorts of things to dip in it, but the kids like strawberries and bananas best. We also see what we have around the house to dip-graham crackers, marshmallows, cookies, rice crispy treats. Also, if there is chocolate left (and there usually is) I just put the pot on a saucer and put it in the fridge and the kids will reheat/melt it the next day and finish it off, so no waste.

DD turned 13 last week and one of the girls on her team (and her bff) is gluten sensitive, so DD is always sure to bring non-flour treats so bff doesn't feel left out. We borrowed a Disney idea. Picked up some heart shaped silly straws put 3 marshmallows on the long end, dipped in the chocolate added a few sprinkles/jimmies to give them some color and let them cool on wax paper. Then we put them in treat bags and tied them up. They were a big hit. Even the coaches ate them and they usually pass the treats on.

 

[Suz D]

Hmmm, find this interesting. MIL made me a bunch one year being my favorites too. I ate several of them, but put the rest in the fridge and enjoyed them for the next 2 days. As long as they are completely set before refrig. them they're fine. You may get a little sweating, but they were fine and just as YUMMY

This has been my experience as well.