Are you a fan of chocolate-covered strawberries? Then this article is for you. Chocolate-covered strawberries are the perfect bite-size dessert when you want something fresh and delicious. The flavor contrast between the fresh, tart strawberries and the rich chocolate gives a wonderful sensation to anyone who takes a bite.
It’s also beyond simple to make, and you can easily make it in the comfort of your own home. The only problem that comes with chocolate-covered strawberries is that the chocolate tends to “sweat”. Besides making it look unattractive, it can also make the chocolate look chalky. So, how can you prevent this from happening? Read all about it on this blog.
How to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
First of all, let’s find out how to make the perfect chocolate-covered strawberries.
Ingredients
To make chocolate-covered strawberries, all you need is two ingredients: chocolate and strawberries. Simple enough, right?
Pick the freshest strawberries you can find to get the best taste. Some strawberries taste sourer than others, so pick your favorite kind of strawberries.
For the chocolate, you would want to also pick the best chocolate you can find. The best melting chocolate around is couverture chocolate. This type of chocolate has a higher amount of cocoa butter than your regular eating chocolate, which makes it melt more smoothly into a crisp chocolate layer, perfect for dipping and coating.
We recommend using our Embassy Equatorial Dark Chocolate Couverture 56% for dark chocolate and Embassy Zen White Chocolate 33% for white chocolate. Our Equatorial 56% has a well-balanced bittersweet taste with a pure and natural flavor, while our Zen 33% has a balanced blend of vanilla and milk flavor.
Method
- Before dipping your chocolate in strawberries, firstly you will need to temper the chocolate first. By tempering your chocolate, you will get a shiny and glossy chocolate layer that snaps when broken. It will also have a smooth mouthfeel and melts really nicely on your tongue.
- Next, we can start preparing to dip our strawberries. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone mat.
- Wash the strawberries and dry them with a paper towel. Let them dry further by air drying and let them come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Hold the strawberry by the stem and dip them in tempered chocolate.
- Swirl the strawberries slowly to get an even coat of chocolate, then tap off the excess.
- Place each strawberry on the tray and let the chocolate set for about 30 minutes.
Why Do Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Sweat?
Before we get to know how to prevent them from sweating, you first need to know why chocolate-covered strawberries sweat.
The “sweat” is just condensation. Sweating can appear on the surface of the chocolate and also in between the chocolate and the berry. This happens because of the moisture in both the chocolate and the strawberries. Storing the chocolate-covered strawberries in a refrigerator will further attract condensation because the fridge is a very humid place.
Sweating is also caused by a sudden change in temperature, such as when you directly store your strawberries in the fridge after dipping.
3 Ways to Keep Chocolate-Covered Strawberries from Sweating
1. Properly dry the strawberries
One of the reasons why condensation occurs is because the strawberries are still wet when dipped into chocolate. When it’s wet, the strawberries which already have a high moisture content will be even moister. The chocolate will also have a hard time sticking to the strawberries. So, make sure to properly dry your strawberries. Pat them with paper towels and let them air dry further.
2. Store in a cool, dry place
If you’re planning to eat the chocolate-covered strawberries on the same day, store them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and uncovered. It is best to not refrigerate them, as this will keep them fresh and prevent them from sweating.
3. If not possible, refrigerate and follow this tip
If you’re not going to eat the chocolate-covered strawberries right away, you can store them in the refrigerator. This will make them last longer for up to 2 days. Do this with caution though, because this may cause them to sweat.
To minimize this, place the berries on the sheet tray and wrap the berries with plastic wrap or aluminium foil. This will increase air circulation and prevent condensation.
If you need high-quality couverture chocolate for any of your baking, dessert, or chocolate-making applications, then check out our couverture chocolate range onour products page. For more information regarding the pricing, speak to one of our knowledgeable sales reps by visitingour contact page.
