12 large strawberries, ripe but firm, with green stems and leaves
attached
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips or morsels or a 10-ounce bar of dark
chocolate
A cookie sheet
Wax paper
A microwave-safe dish
A wooden spoon
Toothpicks
Coconut flakes (optional)
Crushed pistachios (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)
Melted white chocolate (optional)
A fork (optional)
Steps
Prepare
the strawberries
Gently rinse the strawberries, leaving on the green caps. Do this a
few hours before you plan to dip the berries, so they’re completely
dry.
Cover
a cookie sheet
Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.
Melt
the chocolate
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe dish using the “defrost”
setting. Microwave it in 10-second increments, stirring with a wooden
spoon in between. Take care not to burn it.
If the melted chocolate is too thick, add
vegetable oil a few drops at a time until you have the right consistency
for dipping.
Start
dipping
Spear the cap of each strawberry with a toothpick, and use it to dip
the bottom two-thirds of the berry into the melted chocolate. Lift it
out of the chocolate, rotate it clockwise, and wait until the strawberry
is no longer dripping before laying it gently on the wax paper.
For fancier strawberries, dip the ends into
coconut flakes, crushed pistachios, or sprinkles before putting
them on the cookie sheet. Or let them harden for 10 minutes before
drizzling some melted white chocolate over them with a fork.
Chill
Chill the strawberries in the refrigerator for at least an hour and
up to eight hours before serving. They will last about two hours at
room temperature before they start to melt.