Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

  I love finding easy and fast treats that don't look like they were easy and fast.  If something looks time consuming and fancy but isn't...that's my perfect party treat.  So when I decided to make some chocolate dipped strawberries I was pleasantly surprised to find how easy they were.  I was able to make all these in less than 30 minutes. And with Valentines Day coming up I thought this might be the perfect time to share the how to.
 
First up- the ingredients.  I used white chocolate chips, semi sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and two different kinds of sprinkles.  You could use any color or shape of sprinkles, chopped nuts, toffee bits, coconut shavings, etc.  And strawberries of course.

 

Rinse all the strawberries and lay out on paper towels to dry.  The strawberries need to dry completely so either let them air dry or blot with a paper towel if you can't wait.

Next begin melting the chips.  Chocolate tends to burn easily in the microwave so just be careful.  Melt the chips in 20-30 second intervals, taking them out and stirring them each time until they are fully melted.  If you want you can add in a tiny bit of canola oil to the chips.  The oil just makes it a little bit smoother and easier to dip.  Also make sure you stir the chocolate as messily as possible and get it all over so that later when you take a picture you can say 'uh, yeah.  I meant to do that.'

Once the chocolate is all melted begin dipping!  Hold onto the strawberry by the top and dip into the chocolate until it is evenly coated on all sides.  While the chocolate is still soft sprinkle on the extra toppings.   Leave some of the dipped strawberries plain and once the first coat of chocolate hardens you can drizzle some of the other flavors of chocolate across the strawberries using a spoon.

Lay on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper while you finish up the other strawberries.  Once the chocolate is set up you can break off those funny little pieces that formed when you drizzled the chocolate, like on the strawberry in the front row.

 

 Once all the strawberries are dipped and on a cookie sheet place in the fridge until it is time to serve.  Take out and arrange on a pretty platter and you have an elegant, delicious dessert.   

Dipped strawberries typically don't last more than 8 hours but I don't think you'll have a hard time emptying the platter.  If anything you'll have a hard time putting them down!