Valentine’s Day and chocolate covered strawberries are match made in heaven. However, picking up some to run to the store is expensive, and making strawberries covered in high quality chocolate can be frustrating at home. Luckily there is one innocent ingredient that can be added to your chocolate. It reduces the overall stress of the experience.
In the past, I was wary of making chocolate covered strawberries because I thought I needed to soften the chocolate. Tempering is a meticulous process that accurately raises (and lowers) the temperature of melted chocolate, allowing the chocolate to become shiny and hard. Scientifically, it is to readjust the fatty acid structure of chocolate. And, unscientifically, that’s what professionals sometimes struggle with. It sounds more like a high school chemistry lab project than a cute baking activity.
But there teeth An easy way to get shiny hard chocolate at home without going through the process of feeling good. Also, there is no need to disassemble any special equipment or thermometers. The answer to all our chocolate covered worries is… coconut oil. Yes, like the oil you may use in your hair, your skin, or your stir-fry.
Coconut oil gently relieves chocolate when it melts warmly. This is the perfect consistency for coating strawberries. When cooled to room temperature (or just below), coconut oil helps to cure more glowing than non-tempered chocolate.
To try this hack with strawberries: Put 1 cup of chocolate chips (weight, 170 grams of chocolate) in a microwave safe bowl and add 1 tablespoon or 14 grams of coconut oil. For chocolate. Microwave high for 30 seconds and stir at 15-second intervals until the chocolate melts. Don’t forget to mix well to fully incorporate the coconut oil!
Coconut oil is very high with about 90% saturated fat. By itself, cocoa butter, the main source of fat in chocolate, is about 60% lower in saturated fat. Sometimes called “solid fats,” oils with these fatty acids want to be solid when they get cold, but they dissolve quickly when the temperature rises. Coconut oil is almost completely saturated fat, so adding a little to the chocolate before it melts will make the melting and solidifying part of the chocolate coating smoother.
Chocolate has a complex fatty composition, with a mixture of temperamental crystal structure and fatty acids. On the other hand, the saturated fat in coconut oil is like a friend who keeps things easy at all times. Adding that slight simplicity makes it easier to work with the balance of chocolate complexity. Think of it like this: coconut oil increases the flexibility of soaking.
Another tip: For successful chocolate coating, dry the strawberries with a paper towel before soaking them in the chocolate. Moisture prevents the chocolate from sticking, making sure they are completely dry and it is beautifully secured.
Controlling the chocolate dipping step increases the time and energy to experiment with different toppings and designs. Simple drizzle and cookie crumbs make strawberries look deluxe, even though they only take a few minutes.
Whether you’re stunning your boo with this sexy, homemade snack or treat yourself with a three-letter dessert, Download free delicious apps Four ways to see the complete recipe and step-by-step tutorial for chocolate covered strawberries.
