Have you struggled making chocolate covered strawberries? If you have, you're not alone! Learn how to make chocolate covered strawberries like a pro with these tips and tricks! Chocolate not setting up, struggling to get chocolate to stick to strawberries, wondering what chocolate is best for dipping, or chocolate getting too thick while dipping, are all common issues! Here are a few tips and tricks to make dipping strawberries fun and easy! Start with room temperature strawberries, wash and dry them. Drying them thoroughly is the most important step since moisture will thicken/seize the chocolate (if this happens, don't worry, we've got a tip below). This is the best way to get chocolate to stick to dipped fruit.
Select the right chocolate! Merckens chocolate melts are the best for dipping strawberries because they don't require tempering (a special melting process that involves the use of a tempering thermometer). Just melt them in the microwave or a double boiler. Even a beginner can handle it! Melt Merckens in the microwave for 20 to 30 second intervals, stirring in between (learn how to melt Merckens here). If you prefer to melt over a double boiler, just make sure it's on low. (See below for a special tip on how to keep chocolate melted while working!).
Dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate, turning to coat all sides. Place the chocolate covered strawberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Let the chocolate dipped berries set up at room temp and drizzle with more melted chocolate and sprinkles to really make them fancy! Once you've finished dipping and drizzling, place sheet of dipped strawberries in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to make sure the chocolate has completely set.
Store dipped strawberries covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. When you remove strawberries from the refrigerator there may be condensation that builds up on the chocolate that makes them sticky to touch. Letting them rest at room temperature for a few hours will give them time to dry and be less sticky.
Tips and troubleshooting
Merckens chocolate melts become too thick
Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of paramount crystals to one pound of melted Merckens to thin the consistency!
How to keep chocolate melted while you dip
Set the bowl of melted Merckens chocolate on a heating pad set to high (line the heating pad with paper towels to keep it mess free). Using a glass bowl works best!
Chocolate is pooling at the bottom of the strawberries
When dipping the strawberry, let the excess melted chocolate drip off the strawberry to minimize the amount of chocolate that pools onto the parchment. Once the chocolate has set up at room temp you can use a paring knife or a craft knife to trim away excess chocolate.
