Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

I love creating gifts for my loved ones in my kitchen. This was one of my Mom’s favorites.

Ingredients

10-15 medium-sized fresh strawberries with stems
You can use an assortment of dark, milk, and white chocolate if you wish. You will need approximately 1 cup of each. I like to use the chocolate in chip form because it melts more evenly.
Parchment/waxed paper and a tray
A small Ziploc bag

Wash the strawberries and pat dry – a paper towel works best.
It is essential that the fruit is completely dry; otherwise, the chocolate will not stick to the fruit.
I recommend leaving the strawberries to continue drying for an hour or so. Water and chocolate do not mix; water in melted chocolate causes it to seize and curdle.

Melt the chocolate in microwave-safe bowls. I find this to be the easiest and safest method, since different types of chocolate melt at different rates. Dark chocolate takes longer than milk and white chocolate melts the fastest.
Choose the chocolate you would like to start with. Heat the bowl in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring thoroughly each time because the chocolate will continue to melt as you stir it.
As the chocolate begins to melt, you will feel the spoon move through the chocolate quickly and easily.
Press the back of the spoon against the side of the bowl to feel any non-melted bits.
You want the chocolate to just be melted, not hot. Overheating causes the chocolate to burn and solidify.

Grasp each strawberry by the stem and sweep and swirl in the chocolate, tipping the bowl if necessary until it is covered to the stem.
Lay each strawberry on the paper-covered tray, making sure that you place each strawberry about two finger-widths apart.
While the chocolate is still wet, you can sprinkle the strawberries with toasted coconut, Skor or Heath bites, nuts, or whatever your heart desires!
If you would like to drizzle the berries with a different type of chocolate, put the tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the chocolate set.

There are several methods for drizzling the chocolate:

Working with one strawberry at a time, grasp the stem while the strawberry is still on the tray. Dip the bowl of a small spoon into the melted chocolate; tip the bowl of the spoon downward as you move it back and forth above the strawberry.
You can also pour melted chocolate into the corner of a Ziploc bag and cut off the tip of the corner. Working with one strawberry at a time, hold the cut corner of the Ziploc bag downward as you move it back and forth above the strawberry.

Place the strawberries back into the refrigerator for another 20 minutes to allow them to set completely.
Transfer the strawberries to a decorative plate or dish of your choosing.
These are good for up to two days – not that they will last that long!