A common gift as a tasty desert is the classic chocolate covered strawberries. Everyone who has had them no matter who you are or how old you are loves the taste of sweetness. There is a wide variety of chocolate used, anything from milk to dark and even white chocolate. No matter how you like it, nothing will replace the juicy flavor of a classic chocolate covered strawberry.
These succulent fruits spike in popularity around romantic holidays such as Valentine’s Day. Many lovers exchange these instead of the trite box of chocolates. When used as a gift on a special occasion, they can signify class and a love of the finer things in life.
They can be found in gift baskets, such as wine baskets, where they can be accompanied by a fine wine, and some cheese, and some table crackers. A wine basket such as this is perfect for an elegant picnic or a romantic night of star gazing. There are some performance venues that will let you bring a wine basket with you to sit on the grass, or some even sell them at the venue.
There are many things that come into play when creating this confection. First, the strawberries must be large, ripe, and fresh. They should be bursting with flavor and juice. If the main ingredient is not perfect, the end result will not be nearly as enjoyable. There is nothing worse than purchasing a strawberry that is small and flavorless. The juice should be substantial enough to drip down one’s chin slightly, but not enough to make a mess of a shirt. One strawberry is all that should be needed to satisfy. The size and quality of the strawberry also lends to the sensuality of the dessert.
After you’ve picked a worthy strawberry, you can think about what kind of chocolate you want to use. It is best when you use a high quality chocolate because store brand chocolate just won’t do the trick. Fondue chocolate is a good choice for this project because it is rich and creamy. If you want, you could also use white chocolate or a dark chocolate for a slight bitter taste. There are many different combinations of chocolate and strawberries that will still make it a delightful dessert.
The preparation of the masterpiece will have a great affect on making it appealing to the eyes, for one must be visually stimulated by the appearance, before taking a chance at exciting the other senses. Using a long stemmed, perfectly-shaped strawberry that is dipped perfectly is of the utmost importance. The dip should only cover about 75% of the berry, leaving the top quarter and stem unblemished.
Once the berry has been dipped, it should be laid gently on a sheet of waxed paper. This will allow the berry to be moved after cooling, without sticking to the surface. A topping can be added once the chocolate has cooled and hardened. If it is dipped in dark chocolate, then maybe a drizzle of some white chocolate will jazz it up.