Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I happened to walk past a fruit stand on the morning of Valentine's Day, and I saw the most beautiful strawberries at an unbelievable price (especially considering the season!). Of course, immediately I knew that in honor of the holiday, I'd put them to good use with the best of counterparts: chocolate.

First, I washed and patted the strawberries dry. Use a paper towel to make sure the berries are completely dry, as excess moisture will prevent the chocolate from sticking.

 I don't like the fuss of a double boiler, so I opted to melt the chocolate in the microwave. Be sure to warm the chocolate is small increments, decreasing the time as the chocolate is nearly fully melted. Chocolate burns easily, and there's nothing worse than ruining something so delicious.

I dipped each strawberry in the melted white chocolate, then placed them on a baking pan that I had cooled in the refrigerator. I'd recommend lining it with parchment paper if you have it on hand, as it will make the removal easier.

 

To decorate, I melted a small amount of dark chocolate in a plastic bag (again in small increments of time), then snipped a small hole in the corner to use as a makeshift pipping bag. The squiggles are the easiest design, but I also played around with letters, hearts, and panda faces. 

The final product was delicious. Unsurprisingly, they hardly lasted the day. As soon as my Valentine's Day sugar rush wears off, I'll be on the lookout for more fruit to cover in chocolate. After all, that makes these somewhat healthy... right?