CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES: California Strawberries Day

Today is California Strawberries Day. I've posted lots of strawberry recipes, but here's an old favorite: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. So easy. Want to get fancier? You can always stuff strawberries with chocolate cream, marscapone, chocolate chip cookie dough, cheesecake or tiramasu before dipping -- and you can drizzle some white chocolate over the finished dipped strawberries.

The Chef pictured in the photo is by Sonoma artist Cynthia Hipkiss. I love her oddball humor, and I have several of her pieces. I love this Chef, in particular, and he holds a coveted space by my stove (an early 1950s dark blue O'Keefe Merritt). I've had the Chef forever. What's particularly fun about him is what he's holding can be changed. I have a strawberry shortcake, a birthday cake, and a plate of hot dogs with all the trimmings. The smaller food sculptures are attached with velcro. Very clever! Hipkiss's work is carried in several art galleries. Many of her sculptures of women remind me of my aunts from whom I learned many baking tips. Luckily I'm not quite as full-bodied as they were, but then they were great bakers and enjoyed what they baked!

CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 cup Dark Chocolate 60-65% cacao, chopped
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate 70-85% cacao, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless
steel bowl on top of saucepan over simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until
chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2 to 3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are
completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the
entire mixture into a mess.
How to Fix Seized Chocolate

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate.
Give the strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of chocolate. When strawberry is
completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat with rest of strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES for Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. I think Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Champagne are a perfect combination for Valentine's Day. Chocolate Covered Strawberries are so easy to make, but make a huge impact. You can stuff them or drizzle them--or roll them in crumbled toffee. Whatever you decide fresh strawberries dunked in good quality chocolate is the key. 

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY!

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 cup Dark Chocolate 60-65% cacao, chopped
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate 72-85% cacao, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
Optional: White chocolate, melted for Drizzle (make sure this is 'real' white chocolate)

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on.
In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl atop pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2 - 3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
Optional: When hardened, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of the strawberries.

Optional: Add white chocolate drizzle.

Want to get a bit fancier? Here are links to Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries.

Chocolate Covered  Stuffed Strawberries: Cookie Dough, Cheesecake, Marscapone

Strawberrries Stuffed with Chocolate Cream

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES: Division Championship

Are your ready for the Division Championship? I am. My two hometown teams are playing: The San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. These Chocolate Covered Strawberries with the addition of some white chocolate icing, make fun footballs, so they're perfect for today's Football Party. Hold on to this recipe for Super Bowl Sunday!

These Chocolate Covered Football Strawberries are easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids! The strawberries on the right are dipped in milk chocolate (more football colored), but I prefer dark chocolate. It's up to you. Just remember to use the very best chocolate, and the freshest strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate (or Milk, if you're a purist), chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt white chocolate in Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in piping bag (or ziplock bag-and cut off a tiny corner). Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.

Tip: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY 'CARROTS' in CHOCOLATE DIRT: Perfect Easter Centerpiece!

Photo Credit: Driscoll's

Searching for the Perfect Edible Easter Centerpiece? You've found it! These Chocolate Covered Strawberry 'Carrots' in Chocolate Dirt are adorable and easy to make. Thanks once again to Driscoll's Strawberries for the recipe and for their always perfect strawberries! These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Carrots in Chocolate Dirt are also great for a Spring Table!

This has to be the best presentation I've seen in awhile. I actually use these little tin buckets for my succulents, so I have plenty. Don't have tin buckets? You can use small mason jars.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY 'CARROTS' IN CHOCOLATE DIRT

Pudding 
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
4 cups whole milk, divided
6 Tbsp cornstarch

Dirt Topping
2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 40 cookies)

Strawberry Carrots 
1 package (16 ounces) Driscoll's Strawberries (the 8 largest from the package for dipping)
11 ounces white chocolate (make sure it's 'real' white chocolate--made with cocoa butter)
Gel food coloring (red and yellow)

Directions

Pudding 
In double boiler melt bittersweet chocolate. Set aside.
Whisk together 1 cup milk and cornstarch.
Bring remaining 3 cups milk, sugar, cocoa, and salt just to simmer over medium heat. Stir cornstarch mixture then add to milk mixture in saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Divide pudding between 8 food safe 6 oz stainless steel mini pail buckets or small 6 - 8 oz jars or glasses. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill.

Preparing strawberries
Rinse and dry strawberries. You do not want water on the berries when you dip them in chocolate. For best results berries should be at room temperature for dipping to ensure that the chocolate will adhere to berry.

Melting the Chocolate 
To melt chocolate on stovetop, put white chocolate in double boiler (or saucepan over saucepan) over simmering water.

Dipping and Decorating
Line baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Once chocolate has melted, add 4 drops of yellow gel food color and 4 drops of red food gel color and stir well until thoroughly blended into chocolate.
Holding strawberry by green leaves, dip it into chocolate swirling the strawberry until coated. Coat about 3/4 of the way up the strawberry leaving some strawberry showing. Shake off excess chocolate and place on prepared baking sheet to set.

After dipping strawberries, take remaining chocolate and gently reheat until fully melted again. Prepare pastry bag fitted with piping tip and fill bag with remaining chocolate. With berries lying on baking sheet, start at tip of each berry and pipe lines half way across strawberry, alternating starting from left, then right until up to chocolate line below the calyx (strawberry stem). Repeat with remaining berries. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can dip  fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle the lines on--or you can use a ziploc with corner cut out.
Place decorated strawberries in refrigerator until chocolate is firm.
Before serving, remove plastic wrap from pudding and sprinkle tops of each pudding with cookie crumbs.
Once finished, add chocolate covered strawberry to center. Serve immediately.

STUFFED CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES: Cheesecake Filling, Marscapone, Tiramasu,Cookie Dough

With Valentine's Day a week away, I thought I'd post one of my favorite recipes. I love Strawberries, and I think you can't get more romantic than Chocolate Covered Strawberries. This year, I'm suggesting you get even more imaginative and stuff the strawberries with something wonderful such as cheesecake filling, marscapone, tiramasu, or cookie dough!

I'm not offering any real directions on how to do this, but I have a few hints. Pick lovely whole plump strawberries. Wash them and pat dry with paper towels. Melt the chocolate (good quality) with a little cream or butter..or just chocolate.. see past recipes on this blog. Dip in the chocolate (3/4 way up) before stuffing and put chocolate covered strawberries on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Put in refrigerator for a few hours before cutting and stuffing. Of course, you don't have to dip them in chocolate. They're perfectly wonderful stuffed without.

Now for stuffing: Cut off the stem of strawberry and hollow out the inside. Take pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner cut out and pipe in the filling.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries: You can make regular cheesecake filling and add some crushed graham crackers for authenticity, or not. Straight Cheesecake filling is great, too! Make it easy on yourself, and buy something like Ready to Eat Cheesecake Filling or whip some cream cheese with a little vanilla and cream and sugar and sprinkle in some crushed grahams. No exact measurements. Tasting is the best judge! Be sure and leave enough time to chill the Cheesecake Filling before stuffing the finished Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

For the Cookie Dough Strawberries, follow the same procedure. You might want to dip these strawberries in milk chocolate and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. I'm a dark chocolate fan, no matter what, but it's a suggestion!

Get Creative: For the Marscapone or Tiramasu fillings, follow the same directions as for Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. Recently I used Bellweather Farms Ricotta... yum!

What fillings will you use?

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES: Super Bowl Sunday!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are always fabulous, but with the addition of some white chocolate icing, you can make fun footballs that will be perfect for your Super Bowl Party.

You can buy them from: Shari's Berries (Photo--milk chocolate) or you can make your own. They're easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids! The strawberries on the right are dipped in milk chocolate (more football colored), but taste-wise I prefer dark chocolate. It's up to you. Just remember to use the very best chocolate, and the freshest strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt white chocolate in Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in piping bag. Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.
Tip: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips.

Chocolate Covered Football Strawberries for Super Bowl Sunday

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are always fabulous, but with the addition of some white chocolate icing, you can make fun footballs. Perfect for your Super Bowl Party.

You can buy them from: Shari's Berries (Photo--milk chocolate) or you can make your own. They're easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids! The strawberries on the right are dipped in milk chocolate (more football colored), but I prefer dark chocolate. It's up to you. Just remember to use the very best chocolate, and the freshest strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt white chocolate in Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in piping bag. Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.

Tip: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: National Strawberry Day!

Today is National Strawberry Day! Here's an easy recipe for making the best Chocolate Covered Strawberries. These are simple to make, and they always look fabulous. You can stuff them or drizzle them--or roll them in crumbled toffee, but fresh strawberries dunked in good quality chocolate is the key. 


CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES TO DIE FOR!

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 cup Dark Chocolate 60-65% cacao, chopped
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate 72-85% cacao, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted for Drizzle (make sure this is 'real' white chocolate)

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on.
In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl atop pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2 - 3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
Optional: When hardened, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of the strawberries.

Want to get a bit fancier? Here are links to Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries.

Chocolate Covered  Stuffed Strawberries: Cookie Dough, Cheesecake, Marscapone

Strawberrries Stuffed with Chocolate Cream

CHOCOLATE COVERED STUFFED STRAWBERRIES: Cheesecake, Cookie Dough, Marscapone

With Valentine's Day less than a week away, I thought I'd re-post one of my favorite recipes. I love Strawberries, and I think you can't get more romantic than Chocolate Covered Strawberries. I'll be posting several more Chocolate Covered Strawberries recipes, but
this year, I'm suggesting you get even more imaginative and stuff the strawberries with something wonderful such as cheesecake filling, marscapone, tiramasu, or cookie dough! Yes, cookie dough!

I'm not offering any real directions on how to do this, but I have a few hints. Pick lovely whole plump strawberries. Wash them and pat dry with paper towels. Melt the chocolate (good quality) with a little cream or butter..or just chocolate.. see past recipes. Dip in the chocolate (3/4 way up) before stuffing and put chocolate covered strawberries on a waxpaper covered cookie sheet. Put in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting and stuffing. Of course, you don't have to dip them in chocolate. They're perfectly wonderful stuffed without.

Now for stuffing: Cut off the stem of strawberry and hollow out the inside. Take a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner cut out and pipe in the filling.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries: You can make regular cheesecake filling and add some crushed graham crackers for authenticity, or not. Straight Cheesecake filling is great, too!  Make it easy on yourself, and buy something like Ready to Eat Cheesecake Filling or whip some cream cheese with a little vanilla and cream and sugar and sprinkle in some crushed grahams. No exact measurements. Tasting is the best judge! Be sure and leave enough time to chill the Cheesecake Filling before stuffing and the finished Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

For the Cookie Dough Strawberries, follow the same procedure. You might want to dip these strawberries in milk chocolate and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. I'm a dark chocolate fan, no matter what, but it's a suggestion!

Get Creative: For the Marscapone or Tiramasu fillings, follow the same directions as for Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. Recently I used Bellweather Farms Ricotta... yum!

What would you suggest for fillings?

Chocolate 'Football' Strawberries

Photo: Shari's Berries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are fabulous, and with the addition of some white chocolate icing, you can have footballs. Perfect for your Super Bowl Party.

You can buy them from: Shari's Berries (Photo--milk chocolate) or you can make your own. They're easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids!

CHOCOLATE FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl atop a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt the white chocolate in the Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in a piping bag. Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.

Hint: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Chocolate Covered Anything Day

Yes, Virginia, just about anything can be Covered in Chocolate. Although December 16 is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, I think this holiday can easily be celebrated all year round.  One of my favorites is Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Simple to make, and they always look fabulous. You can stuff them or drizzle them, but fresh strawberries dunked in good quality chocolate is the key. 

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES TO DIE FOR!

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 cup Dark Chocolate 60-65% cacao, broken or chopped
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate 72-85% cacao, broken or chopped
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
White chocolate, melted for Drizzle

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or a stainless steel bowl atop a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: I just saw a chef add a tiny bit of honey and stirred. It worked!

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give the strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat withrest of the strawberries.

Want to get a bit fancier? Here are links to Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries.

Chocolate Covered  Stuffed Strawberries: Cookie Dough, Cheesecake, Marscapone

Strawberrries Stuffed with Chocolate Cream

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Redux

What could be better than Chocolate Covered Strawberries for the end of the summer? They always look fabulous, and they're so simple to make. You can stuff them or drizzle them, but dunking them in good quality chocolate is the key. And, yes, this is my kitchen! I have a dark blue O'Keefe & Merritt stove.

Here are a few links to Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Chocolate Covered  Stuffed Strawberries: Cookie Dough, Cheesecake, Marscapone

Strawberrries Stuffed with Chocolate Cream

Why not try stuffing them with Nutella or Goat Cheese (not too strong!)?

More Valentine's Day Favorites: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Thanks to all my Blogger Friends for the lovely links to your Valentine's Day Chocolate recipes. Be sure and check the last few days of Valentine's Day Chocolate recipes HERE and HERE.

Cherrapeno has an incredible Chocolate Ginger Biscuits/Cookies recipe you'll want to try immediately..or at least in time for Valentine's Day... and they're heart shaped! Thanks for sending. Yesterday there was another wonderful post on Cherrapeno: Chilli Chocolate Love Macarons. They're filled with chilli chocolate ganache and dusted with edible fairy hearts.

The Cherrapeno blog led me to Zorra from Kochtopf who hosted A Heart for Your Valentine a few years ago. Bloggers all over the world wrote blogs that showcased edible heart shaped treats. Check out the fabulous roundup. They're not all chocolate recipes, but they're definitely fun to roll through. Round-up One HERE. Round-up Two HERE.

Here's a link to a Chocolate Highlight from this Blog-a-Thon that is sooo easy! My Heart Melts for You from Hannah at BitterSweet (Chocolate ice-cream squished in a mold: Quick and Easy). I'm definitely making this one!

And, my own favorite Valentine's Day treat (or any day!): Chocolate Covered Strawberries. The red strawberries remind me of hearts, and they're dipped in chocolate! What's not to like? Want to give them a kick? Add 1/8 tsp ancho chile powder to the mix.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES TO DIE FOR!

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart fresh large strawberries, with tops
1 cup semi-sweet chips or 60-70% cacao, broken
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or 75-85% cacao, broken
1/8 tsp ancho chile powder (optional)
3 Tbsp. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:
Quickly rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In small microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals if necessary, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. You can also do this in a saucepan over another saucepan with simmering water (or a true doubleboiler).

Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.

HINTS:

Wash the strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. Even a drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess.

How to dip: Grasp the stem of the strawberry and dip into the chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give the strawberry a small shake as you withdraw it from the chocolate. When the strawberry is completely withdrawn from the chocolate, swirl it in a quick, clockwise motion to let the excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.

Either put strawberries in the refrigerator or set aside to allow the chocolate to harden (about 30 minutes). Transfer fruit onto a serving platter to serve.

As I mentioned, you can add 1/8 tsp ground ancho chile powder into the chocolate/cream mixture. Gives it a little kick!