Anyone Ever Chocolate Dipped Their Own Strawberries?

[Dogmama50]

I've used really good chocolate with just a bit of coconut oil to give it a nice sheen but the dipping wafers are so much easier for a person not comfortable working with chocolate. If you can do them the day of, instead of the night before. That's a really nice gift that I'm sure she'll enjoy.

[SeaOfGrass]

Originally Posted by RogueMom

My mother loves chocolate dipped strawberries and I have decided that I will prepare her a box of them for Mother's Day this year, which is this coming weekend. I checked into getting her some from Shari's Berries, but they are just too costly (a dozen for $45 ), so I am doing my own.

I did a "trial run" this weekend, but I was not very happy with the results. I used melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, and added some shortening to the mixture as several online recipes suggested, but the chocolate never "hardened" on the berries, even after refrigeration.

Several people have mentioned that I should use chocolate "melts" specifically made for melting/dipping instead of the chocolate chips. There are many different brands on Amazon which I could order, but it's confusing and prices vary widely.

Anyone out there with experience dipping chocolate, that could recommend a good chocolate brand, and possibly some tips for success doing this? I'd like to do both milk chocolate and white chocolate.

I can't help with your dilemma, but I just wanted to mention that someone gave my mom Shari's Berries last year. They're really pretty, but I wasn't really impressed with them. I don't think they're worth the price. It's much more special that you're making them for her yourself anyway. Good luck!

[Nypafl4u]

Ghirardelli Melting wafers are our go to when dipping. As mentioned, strawberries must be dry and room temperature. We like to use the left over melt to dip pretzels as well.

[RogueMom]

Thanks to everyone so very much for the great response and suggestions. You've given me the tips and advice I needed on doing this, and the confidence to go ahead in making these for my Mom.

Just what I needed, I appreciate it!

[jonesg]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

I use Guittard chocolate chips and a small spoonful of lard. The consistency you're looking for is chocolate that coats the spoon, but allows the excess to drip off easily. Have the berries room temp and completely dry. I put the dipped strawberries on parchment paper to firm up, then put each one in a cupcake wrapper.

Shortening is fine to use instead of lard, I use lard because I'm allergic to shortening. I guess I'm a chocolate snob, because I would never use candy melts or almond bark coating for anything.

Chocolate snobs like me only use pure cocoa butter to thin cheap chocolate into couverture.
https://nuts.com/nuts/cacao/butter.h...IaAh30EALw_wcB

Or just get callebaut, if you get the callebaut you don't need the cocoa butter, its already in there.
Callebaut looks like regular chips but its completely different from choc cookie chips,
store bought (tollhouse type) chips contain coconut or palm fats, not cocoa butter.
https://www.worldwidechocolate.com/s...YaAsE7EALw_wcB

Thats why strawbs dipped in real couverture aren't cheap, even for DIY.

White "chocolate" isn't really chocolate, it contains no cocoa mass, they can't legally call it chocolate, its usually called confectioners dip or something else. Callebaut makes a very nice version, they call it white callets.
Retailers can call it what they want but the legal labelling will not say chocolate.
I get mine from oliveNation.
https://www.olivenation.com/callebau...caApb3EALw_wcB