National Candy Month: How to Make Tuxedo Strawberries

In honor of National Candy Month, we’re posting some of our favorite recipes from The Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu!

First up… Tuxedo Strawberries. Cute and delicious. Nom!

Tuxedo Strawberries
From The Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu

If strawberries had a soul mate, it’d be chocolate. This recipe takes chocolate dipped strawberries to a whole new level of classiness and just in time for strawberry season. They’re almost too cute to eat.

Ingredients:

– 20 fresh strawberries, washed and dried

– 16 ounces white chocolate

– 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Instructions:

– Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry.

– Melt and temper the white chocolate* or simply melt the chocolate.

– Holding strawberries by the stem, dip them into the white chocolate one at a time, covering about three-quarters of each berry.

– Allow excess chocolate to run off before placing each dipped strawberry on the baking sheet.

– While the white chocolate is setting, melt and temper the bittersweet chocolate, or simply melt the chocolate.

– When the white chocolate has set, dip strawberries into the bittersweet chocolate one side at a time, leaving a “V” of white chocolate in the center of the flat side to resemble a tuxedo.

– Replace strawberries on the baking sheet to set. Dip a toothpick or wooden skewer in the bittersweet chocolate and carefully draw bow ties and buttons on the white chocolate portions.

How to Temper Chocolate:

– Finely chop 1 ½ to 2 pounds of chocolate. Smaller amounts make it difficult to control the temperature changes.

– Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Place a candy thermometer or digital thermometer in the chocolate and stir frequently with a rubber spatula.

– Do not let the temperature of the chocolate exceed 120 degree Fahrenheit for dark chocolate or 105 degrees Fahrenheit for milk or white chocolate. When the chocolate has fully melted, remove the bowl from heat. Wipe the bottom of the bowl to get rid of any condensation.

– Stir in the remaining third of the chocolate a little at a time. Let it melt before adding more.

– Let the chocolate cool to about 82 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is warmer, keep stirring and let it cool some more. If it is cooler, begin reheating in the next step.

– Once the chocolate is 82 degrees Fahrenheit, place it back over simmering water. For dark chocolate, reheat to 88 degrees Fahrenheit to 91 degrees Fahrenheit. For milk and white white chocolate, reheat to 85 degrees Fahrenheit to 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the bowl from heat once you have reached the right temperature.

– Spread a small spoonful of chocolate on a piece of wax paper. If it looks dull or streaky, re-temper the chocolate, starting with step 2. If it dries quickly with a glossy finish and no streaks, the chocolate is in temper.

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