Chocolate-Covered Strawberries: Recipe and Toppings to Decorate Them

Combining chocolate and strawberries is a surefire hit, a classic that never fails, especially on Valentine's Day if you want to serve a romantic breakfast or desserts, or any spring day when you feel like treating yourself. The contrast between the freshness and juiciness of the strawberries and the character and creaminess of chocolate in any of its varieties makes chocolate-covered strawberries with decoration something addictive.

There are many ways to prepare chocolate-covered strawberries: you can play with the type of chocolate as well as the decorations and toppings you use to dress them.

From dipping them in melted chocolate in a fondue to enjoying them hidden under a generous dark coating, there are as many ways to prepare them as your imagination allows. And to spark your inspiration, today I bring you some ideas and decorations to celebrate this day in the sexiest and most delicious way.

Let’s go!

Ingredients

1. Rinse the strawberries under running water and let them drain well in a colander.
2. Once the water has drained, carefully dry them with a bit of kitchen paper or a cloth to remove all moisture.

Ideas to decorate chocolate-covered strawberries:

1) Dark or white chocolate strawberries with desiccated coconut

1. Melt the dark chocolate (or the white chocolate) in a saucepan over a double boiler, stirring until it has fully melted.
2. Dip the strawberries one by one, submerging them in the chocolate using a fork or piercing them with a thin skewer.
3. Shake off the excess chocolate from each strawberry and, as you dip them, place them on a smooth silicone mat.
4. Without letting the chocolate cool, sprinkle the desiccated coconut over them like a rain. That way, while the chocolate is still hot, the coconut will stick to it.
5. When the chocolate has hardened, remove the strawberries from the mat and arrange them on a plate or a ceramic tray. Ready to serve!

2) Dark, milk or white chocolate strawberries with nuts

1. All types of chocolate pair well with nuts. So decide which chocolate you want to dip your strawberries in, melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave, and coat the strawberries. Shake off the excess and place them on a silicone mat.
2. Before the chocolate cools, sprinkle the chopped nuts on top. They go fabulously with nuts like chopped almond, hazelnut, pistachio, walnut (ideal with dark chocolate) or macadamia nuts (delicious with white chocolate).
3. When serving, sprinkle a little flaky salt on top; it will be the final contrast touch for some delicious strawberries.

3) Dark chocolate strawberries with salt

1. Dip the strawberries in melted dark chocolate and let them rest on a mat to cool.
2. Sprinkle flaky salt over the chocolate so it sticks. Don’t overdo it, but the salt should be noticeable.

4) White and pink chocolate strawberries

1. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally with a spatula until fully melted.
2. Dip the strawberries one by one, submerging them in the chocolate using a fork or by piercing them with a thin skewer, and carefully shake off the excess chocolate from each. Place them on a silicone mat and let the chocolate harden and cool.
3. Meanwhile, melt a few drops or pieces of ruby (pink) chocolate in a double boiler. Once melted, let it lose some heat and warm slightly (it should not be hot).
4. Put the pink chocolate in a piping bag. Cut the tip of the bag so the chocolate comes out in a thin stream.
5. When the white chocolate has hardened, pipe pink chocolate threads over the strawberries and let them set. You can also do this with a spoon, letting the pink chocolate fall in thin threads over the strawberries.

If you want to alternate colors, do it the other way around: dip the strawberries in ruby chocolate and pipe white chocolate threads. Strawberries dipped in any chocolate with thick threads of the same chocolate also look very pretty.

7) You-and-me strawberries

1. Melt the chocolate of your choice in a double boiler, stirring occasionally with a spatula until fully melted.
2. Dip the strawberries one by one, submerging them in the chocolate using a fork or piercing them with a thin skewer, shaking off the excess chocolate from each.
3. Place one strawberry on the smooth silicone mat and place the next one beside it so they touch. That way, as the chocolate cools they will bond.
4. Another option is to dip each strawberry in a different chocolate and pair them by combining the different chocolate colors.
5. Present them on a heart-shaped ceramic plate, very romantic!

8) Strawberries with chocolate and granulated sugar

1. Dip the strawberries in melted dark chocolate and let them cool.
2. If you don't have pearl sugar, put two drops of water in a glass and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix so it absorbs some moisture.
3. When the chocolate is still warm but has cooled a bit, sprinkle the pearl sugar or the granulated sugar you prepared on top.