Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bars Recipes

CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRY BARS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Melt the butter with the cocoa powder, sugar and espresso powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Whisk the heavy cream and egg in a small bowl. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the butter-cocoa mixture, then pour into the saucepan. Cook, whisking, until combined and thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, almonds and vanilla bean paste. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan.
• Make the filling: Pulse half of the freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 cup) in a food processor until slightly powdery with a few pieces remaining. Set aside the remaining strawberries for topping.
• Put the white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over the white chocolate chips. Let sit until softened, 3 to 5 minutes; stir until smooth. (If the chips are not fully melted, microwave in 20-second intervals until smooth.) Stir in the strawberry powder. Spread over the cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Make the topping: Microwave the semisweet chocolate chips with the shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly over the filling. Gently crush the reserved freeze-dried strawberries and sprinkle over the top. Cover and refrigerate until set. Lift out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into bars.
• Freeze-dried strawberries have a ton of flavor. You just have to make sure you don?t pulverize them into too fine a powder; you want to be able to see the nice red flecks.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)
• Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
• Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
• Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Gently rinse strawberries and dry on paper towels (berries must be completely dry). Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Dip lower half of each strawberry into chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip back into saucepan. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate uncovered about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm, or until ready to serve. Store covered in refrigerator so chocolate does not soften (if made with oil, chocolate will soften more quickly at room temperature).