If you are trying to lose weight and are a chocoholic, giving up chocolate can be the most difficult part of a diet. Many good quality chocolates are high in fat and calories and so can spoil all the good work done so far. However, there is a way that someone watching their weight CAN eat chocolate and not feel that they are blowing their diet. The answer to this dilemma is strawberries - chocolate covered strawberries to be precise. A typical chocolate covered strawberry has less than 100 calories and is a healthy low fat delicious treat. But just because it is low on calories does not mean that it is low on taste. The combination of luscious fruit on the inside and smooth chocolate on the outside makes them an irresistable desert, perfect for special occasions, romantic dinners for two and dinner parties, offering all the taste that anyone could wish for, without the guilt.
Beautiful chocolate covered strawberries can of course be bought from specialised shops and online stores, but it is more fun to make them yourself. This also allows you to control the amount and content of the chocolate covering and so the calories.
Follow these simple steps to make perfect chocolate covered strawberries:
- Fresh, best quality strawberries are essential
- Wash them well and dry thoroughly.
- Either milk or dark chocolate can be used to make the dipping sauce, but for the best result choose a fine good quality chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl by carefully placing the bowl in a pan of boiling water. Add an equal amount of cream and gently mix in.
- Dip each strawberry and leave to set on wax paper. An alternative method is to pierce the stem end of the strawberry with a cocktail stick, use the stick to dip the strawberry and then stand it in some polystyrene. This also makes it easier to decorate after the chocolate has solidified. Try piping melted white chocolate or even dipping again in a different chocolate to provide a double layer - delicious but NOT good for calorie counting !
- Keep in the fridge and ideally eat on the day they were made. They do not keep well.
Now, enjoy the contrast of taste and texture with a glass of champagne.
