The Best Way To Store Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate-covered strawberries are a hallmark of Valentine's Day, although it really doesn't seem fair to reserve them for just that one occasion. After all, it's easy to make chocolate-covered strawberries at home any time you like, and they always make for an attractive gift or crowd-pleasing party tray. However, like all the best things in life, chocolate-covered strawberries are fleeting, and they have a frustratingly short shelf life.
Ideally, you should eat chocolate-covered strawberries on the same day they were made, as their taste and texture will both be best at room temperature. Some recipes will tell you to put the strawberries in the refrigerator right after you dip them, so that the chocolate will set quickly. However, you don't need to do this unless your home is very hot. As long as you keep the strawberries out of the sunlight, they should be able to set at room temperature in about an hour or so.
If you do choose to set your chocolate-covered strawberries in the refrigerator, you'll want to take them out as soon as the chocolate is hard, so that they can come to room temperature. It's safe to keep chocolate-covered strawberries out at room temperature for a whole day, but if you don't finish them all by then, you'll need to transfer them to the fridge. This raises some issues, however.
The problem with refrigerating chocolate-covered strawberries
Strawberries have a short shelf life in general because they are about 90% water, and high-moisture environments easily foster bacteria. This problem is amplified when it comes to chocolate-covered strawberries because the chocolate shell traps moisture. Putting your berries in the refrigerator can double their shelf life from 24 hours up to 48 hours. However, the refrigerator comes with drawbacks of its own.
While refrigerators successfully prevent bacteria through low temperatures, they actually increase moisture in the air, which can lead to condensation forming on the surface of your strawberries. When you take the strawberries out, they will look like they are sweating, which is both unappetizing and annoying from a finger food perspective. A chocolate-covered strawberry is one of those foods where appearances really matter, especially when you're giving them as a gift. That's why you should ideally keep them at room temperature until your special event, and only use the fridge for leftovers. If you do need to turn to the refrigerator at any point, there's a trick you should know that can reduce sweating.
How to prevent your strawberries from sweating in the fridge
First, learn the right temperature for your refrigerator and keep the humidity set to below 50% to stave off excess moisture. You might assume you should store your chocolate-covered strawberries in an airtight container, as you would with most refrigerated foods, but this can actually increase the risk of mold by trapping moisture. You need a little bit of airflow around the berries, so put them on a baking sheet or in a wide container and cover them loosely with plastic wrap.
The best way to prevent excess moisture from accumulating on your berries is with the help of baking soda. Pick the storage container you want to use and place a paper towel on the bottom. Then, sprinkle the towel with a light coating of baking soda. Next, lay a piece of parchment paper or wax paper over the baking soda-covered towel. Now, you're ready to add your berries.
Place the chocolate-covered strawberries in a single layer on top of the parchment or wax paper. If you max out your space, lay another sheet of paper on top of the berries, and place a second layer on top of that. Finally, cover the whole thing with plastic wrap, and keep refrigerated for up to two days.