I love chocolate covered strawberries. It's just one of those perfect flavor combinations. What I don't like is when I bite into a chocolate covered strawberry and all of the chocolate shatters into my hand, on my plate, and down the front of whatever I happen to be wearing. Then I figured it out - use a ganache instead of tempered chocolate. Stick with me, here. A ganache is the gooey inside of a truffle that melts in your mouth. It's easier to make than you think, and it will help you make some of the best chocolate covered strawberries you've ever eaten.


Tools:
1-quart saucepan
3-quart stainless steel or glass bowl (not plastic)
Whisk
Cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper
Angled spatula (optional but helpful)

Ingredients:
12 ounces of chocolate (white, milk or dark) - higher quality chocolate makes a better ganache.
1 cup heavy cream
2 pounds strawberries

Directions:
If the chocolate is in a large block, use a knife to break it into chunks. Place the chocolate in the stainless steel or glass bowl (plastic retains odors and can affect the flavor of your ganache) Heat the heavy cream in the sauce pan over medium heat until it comes to a boil.


Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate pieces. Use the whisk to combine the chocolate and cream until it comes to a glossy sheen. Let the ganache cool for about 20 minutes so that it thickens slightly.


Dip clean (but dry) strawberries in ganache and allow excess to drizzle off before placing strawberries on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate dipped strawberries for about an hour, until the ganache is firm. Use the angled spatula to move strawberries to a serving plate and serve immediately.