A chocolate-covered strawberry delivery is a well-loved gift any time of year, but the rich decadence of chocolate and the sweet juiciness of fresh strawberries makes them especially popular when sent as valentines. Gifts made with expert craftsmanship, quality berries, and the finest chocolate are, of course, top on the lists of those sending symbols of their love, so we’ve decided to present our view of what we think makes for a great gift of chocolate-dipped strawberries.
The first consideration is the berries. Larger, juicier berries tend to be more satisfying than smaller ones, and each plump berry should be as sweet as can be. If you’re shopping at a local grocery store, whether for pre-dipped berries or because you are planning to make your own, we recommend tasting a strawberry to make sure it’s what you’re looking for before you purchase a basketful; make sure they aren’t soft or mushy. When ordering online, choosing is much easier, as experts have usually selected each individual berry, and you’re sure to get top-quality fruit.
The second consideration is the type of chocolate used. We recommend selecting strawberries dipped in high-quality Belgian chocolate or any pure chocolate that ensures a thick but soft coating. Note that it is possible to make delightful chocolate-covered strawberries with common yet delicious melted chocolate chips by paying great attention to detail, but the higher the quality of the chocolate is, the better they’ll look and taste.
Finally, we recommend that each berry be hand-decorated and hand-dipped. The difference in quality between a machine-produced chocolate-covered strawberry and one that has had significant, personal attention paid to its making is obvious. When preparing your own berries, colored chocolate piping is an elegant and effective way to decorate your berries, while shaping the chocolate around the bottom of the berry to create a little pedestal for it to rest on is both adorable and practical (they won’t roll around and obscure any other decorations you add). Sprinkles, chocolate artwork, and/or letters are additional decorations one might consider looking for or adding when selecting or creating chocolate-dipped strawberries.
How do you like your chocolate-covered strawberries? Harry & David has an amazing selection of hand-dipped and -decorated chocolate-covered strawberries to choose from. Or, use the berries on our site to create your own idea for a handmade, luscious chocolate strawberry surprise for your valentine.
Win Your Own Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Also, don’t forget to enter to win chocolate-covered strawberries and a copy of The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor by Gina Homolka. Enter our giveaway anytime through February 9, 2015.
