Saturday, May 2, 2009

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

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I am lucky to have a friend. She is one of those very rare and beautiful people, I think you know what I mean. The kind of friend whom you can't imagine your life without and whose kids you love like they were your own from the first moment they enter the world. She has a beautiful soul, the warmest hugs and the sweetest smile. Really more a sister than a friend.

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My friend is about to bring her second son into the world, the cycle of life and birth beginning again and just in that magical time when the world is waking up, shaking the cobwebs out of its corners and clothing itself in brilliant colors. It's going to be a brilliant baby, just like her first one, and I don't only mean that he's going to be smart. He is going to bring her joy.


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It was her birthday yesterday and I wanted to tell her "I love you" because, let's face it, we just don't say it often enough to the people who should hear it. Maybe I didn't say it in words (I'm still working on that, it's always difficult for me to express it verbally, especially when it really means something), but I said it in chocolate-dipped strawberries.


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This recipe is from Jen Yu's website, Use Real Butter, which is one of my daily reads. Jen, I know you only through the magic of the internet, which is to say I do not know you at all, but when I made these, I was thinking about you, and of family, friendship, love.




Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
via Use Real Butter

24 ripe strawberries (Jen prefers organic, and I do too)
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (Valrhona 64% is always great, but I used Lindt)
1 oz white chocolate, chopped

Rinse strawberries and gently pat dry. Set on a rack to dry completely. Melt bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler.

Dip strawberries in chocolate and shake off excess. Set to dry on a rack (on the tops as shown in the photos) or on parchment (on the bottoms which will give you a foot of chocolate) in a cool, dry location [Irene's note: I let mine dry in the kitchen for a half hour and then got impatient and put them in the refrigerator].

When chocolate has dried, melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the strawberries [Irene's note: melting white chocolate is trickier than dark, you have to watch it continuously and make sure the heat is low and no steam or water gets into the chocolate. I put the melted chocolate into a ziploc bag with a tiny piece cut off the corner]. Or, you can melt more white chocolate and dip the strawberries a second time.

More chocolate-dipped strawberries:


Ash keeps it simple and classic
Elise dresses hers up like little grooms, complete with mini tuxedos
April takes it one step further and adds cheesecake, oh my!
Paula goes nuts with toppings
And for something a little different, a strawberry-Nutella panini (wow!)

24 comments:

Unknown said...

I love the how something so simple can mean so much. I'm sure your friend appreciated these :).

Unknown said...

What a beautiful gift! I always love giving homemade gifts, especially when it is someone you love. You are a great friend to give such great and special gifts.

Dewi said...

Beautiful Irine. I've been meaning to make chocolate covered strawberries for quite sometime.

Shari said...

This is a gift from the heart -- I'm sure your friend got the love message. They look beautiful. Something about strawberries and chocolate that says it all! Nice presentation!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

You are so nice. What a great post.

Treehouse Chef said...

Lovely photos!!! Looks delicious!

Patsyk said...

What a wonderful friend you are! That was a beautiful gift!

Helene said...

What a gorgeous treat! I am sure your friend feel equally about you!

Sara said...

These look beautiful! I love the white chocolate drizzle, they look so professional.

Claire Mercado-Obias said...

Anyone would love a gift like this! Beautiful =)

bridget {bake at 350} said...

What is it about chocolate dipped strawberries? They are so simple and so elegant! That rack idea is brilliant!!! Stealing that! :)

Irene said...

That was Jen's idea :) She says she does not like "feet" on the strawberries, which is what happens when they dry on parchment paper. It was tricky, though, trying to stand them up like that! :)

Anonymous said...

what a great gift! :) i love chocolate dipped strawberries too

Juliana said...

Such a nice gift...the pictures are awesome.

Elyse said...

Irene, what a beautiful post. These strawberries are lovely, and I know your friend will greatly appreciate them. Friendship is such an amazing thing! I'm going to run and tell all of my friends how much I appreciate them! (And I appreciate you, too ;) )

Irene said...

Aw, thanks! :) Real friendship is magic!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

What a lovely post. Happy birthday to your friend.
~ingrid

kirsteniteleader said...

MMM Chocolate-dipped strawberries will always remind me of my wedding day. For the reception, all I cared about was chocolate-dipped strawberries. So my three sisters-in-law made them the day before, I know not how. All I know is that chocolate-dipped strawberries covered every flat surface in two hotel rooms for several hours! But to this day I still remember how good they tasted.

I hope your friend remembers these the way I remember mine.

Irene said...

That's a beautiful story! What amazing SILs you have!

Finla said...

It is always hard to have good friends, and looks like you have a good friend there, but then i think you friend also have a good friend in you :-)
I am sure going to make this as it is strawberry season.

Brilynn said...

I just made chocolate dipped strawberries for Mother's Day! They're so easy to do and make such a wonderful gift.

dipped strawberries said...

awesome pictures that a wonderful gift

Finla said...

I made these strawberries and we just love it.
Thankyou for the recipe, i have posted them here
http://mykitchentreasures.blogspot.com/2009/05/chocolate-dipped-strawberries.html

Ethan said...

I totally agree with you. Chocolate covered strawberries make a nice gift for our loved ones. And Jen's recipe is nice too. I will give it a try very soon.