Black And White Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Chocolate-covered strawberries somehow manage to be both a romantic and easy-to-make dessert. And yet, if you've ever bought chocolate-covered strawberries from a store, you know that such a purchase can be an underwhelming experience.

Why pay for mediocre chocolate-covered strawberries when you can make them at home with this easy black and white chocolate-covered strawberries recipe from recipe developer and food photographer Jennine Rye? This recipe is a surprisingly easy way to wow party guests, your family, or a date. You just need strawberries, basic kitchen equipment, white and dark chocolate, and less than an hour of your time.

"I love how quick they are to make, yet they are so delicious," Rye says. "Chocolate and strawberries are such a classic flavor pairing, and it's classic for a reason. It also feels very decadent dipping the strawberries into the chocolate, and swirling them around." Keep reading to find out how to make this recipe. 

To make these chocolate-covered strawberries, you'll need 6 ounces of dark chocolate, and 6 ounces of white chocolate. If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, feel free to use milk chocolate. "I think high quality cooking chocolate is best for these, preferably the highest you can find," Rye says. "As the chocolate is one of only 2 ingredients, you want it to be really good!" In addition to higher quality, baking chocolate tends to melt better, as it doesn't contain additives that might alter the texture of melted chocolate.

Last but certainly not least, you'll also need 18 room-temperature, medium-sized strawberries. Rye says that the ideal time to make chocolate-covered strawberries is when strawberries are in season, but regardless of when you make this dessert, you should look for the most fresh and plump strawberries that you can find. "Ideally, they should be a beautiful red color, and have a shine to them," Rye says. "I would also recommend getting to know the different varieties grown near you, and work out which ones are most flavorful."

Break the dark chocolate into pieces, and place it in a glass bowl. You can melt the chocolate by either microwaving the chocolate in short bursts, or melting it on the stove. To melt the chocolate on the stovetop, place the glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. The bowl should be bigger than the pot, so that the bowl does not touch the bottom.

Whether you're using the microwave or a saucepan, the key to melting chocolate is to go low and slow. "Chocolate can easily burn, which destroys the smooth melted texture, and causes it to go grainy and hard," Rye says. "That is why, if you are using a saucepan, you should melt the chocolate in a bowl above the heat source — not [in the pan directly]. Similarly, if melting the chocolate in the microwave, slowly and at a lower temperature is best, stopping the microwave regularly to stir the chocolate."

Once you've melted your dark chocolate, set it aside, and repeat this process with the white chocolate.

Cover 2 plates with parchment paper, dip half of the strawberries into the melted dark chocolate, and let them firm up on one of the plates. Dip the other half of the strawberries in the white chocolate, and let them firm up on the other plate.

Once the chocolate starts to harden, drizzle the remaining white chocolate over the dark chocolate-covered strawberries with either a spoon, or bottle with a narrow nozzle. Repeat this process for the white chocolate-covered strawberries, drizzling them with the remaining dark chocolate.

Once the chocolate has set, about 15 minutes, your chocolate-covered strawberries are ready to serve! If you're not ready to eat them all, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Just make sure to bring the strawberries to room temperature before eating them.

"[Chocolate-covered strawberries] are a great accompaniment for a celebration with Champagne or prosecco, for a romantic date night, or for a dinner party," Rye says. "They are also just a fun snack to make with kids."