The Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Trick For A Richer, Creamier Bite

Have you ever attempted to enjoy a chocolate-covered strawberry only to find its outer chocolatey shell breaking off in shards with each and every bite? While no one can deny the deliciousness of hand-dipped, chocolate-covered strawberries, oftentimes, their hardened exterior prevents you from having an enjoyable eating experience. If you want to be able to consume your next batch of chocolate-covered berries with ease, simply dip your fruit in chocolate ganache instead of plain melted chocolate.

Chocolate ganache is made by pouring hot heavy cream over solid chocolate until the mixture transforms into a smooth and decadent glaze or frosting you can add to several luscious desserts. More specifically, since heavy cream prevents chocolate from hardening into a breakable confection, ganache is the perfect coating for chocolate-covered strawberries. What you're left with is juicy berries covered in a smooth, partially set glaze.

To try this technique at home, start by washing and drying your fruit. Especially if you want picture-perfect chocolate-covered strawberries, don't skip this step. Thoroughly drying your berries ensures the chocolate coating will effectively stick to each individual strawberry. Next, heat the heavy cream until it reaches the simmering stage and then remove it from the heat. Pour the hot cream over a bowl of broken chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts completely. From here, simply dip your strawberries in the ganache and allow them to firm up and dry on a lined baking sheet in your refrigerator.

While the process of making chocolate ganache is fairly straightforward, there are a few factors to consider more closely — especially when you're making this luscious dip for hand-dipped berries. For starters, be mindful when selecting the right chocolate for the job. Surprisingly, the best chocolate for chocolate-covered strawberries (and homemade ganache) is not chocolate chips. Instead, use chocolate bars that have cocoa butter listed as a primary ingredient.

Whether you're using milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate baking bars, make sure to chop your chocolate into fine pieces with a serrated knife before combining with the hot heavy cream. Also, in order to achieve the right consistency, consider your ratio of chocolate to cream. Depending on the amount of chocolate or cream in your recipe, ganache can be made into either a thin glaze or a thick and sturdy frosting. When making ganache for chocolate-covered strawberries, consider using more chocolate than cream. The extra chocolate creates a thicker coating that adheres more evenly to fresh berries.

Lastly, once you develop your own specific ratio of ingredients and prepare your next batch of berries, make sure to store these confections properly for the most satisfying eating experience. While consuming chocolate-dipped berries at room temperature may be ideal, the best way to store chocolate-covered strawberries longer than 24 hours is in your refrigerator.