Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Sometimes, there's just nothing like chocolate-covered strawberries. These don't make the most picturesque strawberries, but with good fruit you just can't go wrong! I've also found it's a great way to use strawberries that are a little too soft to eat out of hand. The extra softness works perfectly with the chocolate.

Strawberry selection is important, but simple: Strawberries should be ripe and relatively soft. Too hard and they aren't quite right! Rinse them a few minutes before starting and be sure they're completely dry before moving on.

I usually prefer to do things in the simplest way possible. I could get out my double boiler and melt a small mountain of chocolate, but this sounds to me like entirely too much work. Instead, I use Pyrex Custard Cups (these are one of my favorite things). Fill it with your favorite variety of chocolate chips (I personally use semi-sweet) and toss the works in the microwave. Some recipes call for milk or some other liquid — in my experience, these simply freeze up the chocolate. Run the microwave 30 seconds at a time at 50% power. Stir between each microwaving. After about two minutes, the chocolate will be smooth and melted.

Dip each strawberry in the bowl, letting any excess drip off as you go. Place the strawberries on a pan or plate where they can cool. I use a Silpat because I've not met a single food item that sticks to one. If you run low on chocolate, simply add a few more chips and melt them again.

Cool in the fridge for an hour, or until you just can't wait any longer. In my experience, this is about 20 seconds, give or take 20 seconds.