Delicious and elegant to set out alongside glasses of champagne and wine, these New Year's Eve chocolate-covered strawberries will twinkle at the ball drop festivities.
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If you're familiar with the old Rankin-Bass holiday special titled Rudolph's Shiny New Year... well, pretend for a moment that you are not. Pretend you have never, ever heard of it! I don't want thoughts of that terrible children's special to tarnish your impression of these fun, delicious, sparkling Shiny New Year Chocolate Covered Strawberries!
Focus instead on fresh strawberries getting a dark chocolate dip and a sprinkle of edible glitter and dust over the surface.
Why you'll love these shiny treats
They are easy to prepare and will be the highlight of your party table! Just give fresh strawberries a dip in melted chocolate.
Lollipop sticks inserted into whole strawberries make them easier to dip and to decorate after the chocolate sets. Find gorgeous, shimmering edible glitter and edible dusts (brands include Wilton, Luster Dust, and more) online or at local craft stores like Michael's or AC Moore.
How to make these chocolate-covered strawberries
Step 1: Prepare the strawberries
The berries should be washed and allowed to dry before covering them in chocolate. You can leave the leaves on if they're still bright and in good shape, or strip them off if you'd rather. Insert 2-inch lollipop sticks into the tops of the berries
Step 2: Melt the chocolate
Place the chocolate and shortening in the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water. Stir until they are melted and smooth.
Step 3: Dip the strawberries
Hold the strawberries by the sticks and dip them into the chocolate, coating them completely. Tap the excess off, then set the berries in a wax paper-lined dish.
Step 4: Add the shine
When the berries are all dipped, dust them with the pearl dust and the edible glitter. Cover the dish holding the berries with plastic wrap (don't smudge the tops though!) and let the berries rest until the chocolate has set.
Step 5: Add ribbon
When the berries can be handled, tie pieces of silver and gold ribbons to the sticks. Arrange the berries on a serving platter.
Notes
- Give the berries enough time to air-dry after washing them. They need to be dry before they are dipped, as any water on the surface would cause the chocolate to seize.
- I recommend lining a casserole pan with wax paper to hold the berries after they're dipped. The sides of this pan will be high enough that you can cover the pan with plastic without it touching the wet berries.
- It's best to prepare these the day of your event, perhaps in the morning if you are planning an evening party. I don't recommend refrigerating your dipped strawberries: not only can the berries begin to get slimy, the chocolate is prone to grayish streaks when it goes in and out of temperature extremes. Instead, dip your strawberries then give them several hours to set in a cool, room-temperature place.
The recipe for Shiny New Year Chocolate Covered Strawberries is below, and here are a few more holiday treats you should make!
>> Have you tried these strawberries? Leave a comment for me below!
Shiny New Year Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole fresh strawberries, rinsed and allowed to dry completely
- 12 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
- 4-inch lollipop sticks cut in half to make 2-inch sticks
- Wilton Silver Pearl Dust
- Silver sanding sugar, like CK Sanding Glitter or Wilton Silver Sanding Sugar
- Silver and gold thin ribbon
Instructions
- Line a large casserole dish with waxed paper.
- If the leaves are still fresh and green you can leave them on. Otherwise strip the leaves off. (They'll be decorated with ribbon anyway.) Push a 2-inch lollipop stick into the top of each of the strawberries, leaving an inch or so showing.
- Heat water in the bottom of a double boiler and place the dark chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in the top. (You can also place a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water.) Heat the water to a simmer, and stir the chocolate chips until they are smooth and melted.
- Dip the strawberries one at a time into the chocolate, as deep as you can while holding onto the stick in the top. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and then set each dipped strawberry into the waxed paper-lined dish.
- While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the strawberries first with a bit of the pearl dust, and then with some of the sanding sugar. Continue this way until all of the strawberries are decorated.
- Loosely cover the dish with plastic wrap, being careful not to disturb the surfaces of the strawberries. Allow the strawberries to set for several hours in a cool place away from the heat of the kitchen, but do not refrigerate them.
- Shortly before serving the strawberries, cut short lengths of silver and gold ribbon and curl the ends. Tie ribbon around the sticks on each strawberry. Transfer the berries to a platter or festive dish and set them out for your guests. (Preferably in a spot where a little light will hit them and set the glitter sparkling!)
Notes
- Give the berries enough time to air-dry after washing them. They need to be dry before they are dipped, as any water on the surface would cause the chocolate to seize.
- I recommend lining a casserole pan with wax paper to hold the berries after they're dipped. The sides of this pan will be high enough that you can cover the pan with plastic without it touching the wet berries.
- It's best to prepare these the day of your event, perhaps in the morning if you are planning an evening party. I don't recommend refrigerating your dipped strawberries: not only can the berries begin to get slimy, the chocolate is prone to grayish streaks when it goes in and out of temperature extremes. Instead, dip your strawberries then give them several hours to set in a cool, room-temperature place.
Hmm
looks Delicious