Day 105.5 - Amaretto Infused Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with leafy green wings reaching heavenward.
~Jasmine Heilfer

Original Painting
Chris Harford

Valentine's Day does not have to be about having a spouse, lover or partner -- despite what the Hallmark hype hopes you buy into.  No, rather it can, and should be a special day in the bitter month of February when you get to enjoy beautiful chocolate covered strawberries for what they are: exquisitely decadent, elegant and sexy. Simply put, whether you're eating them alone or with someone special, dipped in glossy dark chocolate, and savored with a lovely glass of champagne, wine (or sparkling cider if you're so inclined), these strawberries are sure to make you feel sweet and heavenly, which you are. 

To add an extra twist to traditional chocolate dipped strawberries, about half of these juicy darlings were infused with Amaretto. Using a syringe, I injected a little of the liquor into the berries prior to dipping them into dark, semi-sweet and white chocolate. The result is a happy party in your mouth, without compromising the natural tartness of the fruit. Strawberry fields forever.

Glass dish by Tim Commerford

The key to making these dipped strawberries is to start with ripe, clean berries that have been lightly rinsed and gently patted dry (do NOT drown them in water as they'll quickly become saturated and mushy). To ensure that  the chocolate coating adheres to the fruit, have everything in place before you start and  work quickly as chocolate tends to harden up pretty fast.

When cooking with chocolate, it's absolutely imperative that your bowls and spoons be spotless and clear of moisture, otherwise you'll end up with a mess. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, watch your chocolate as it melts, being very careful not to overheat it.  I used small ramekins with 2 ounces of chocolate in each, which was just right for about 24 strawberries.

Amaretto Infused Chocolate Covered Strawberries

About 24 strawberries, stems and leaves attached
2 ounces dark chocolate
2 ounces milk chocolate
2 ounces white chocolate
extra dark and white chocolate for drizzling
Amaretto

Gently rinse and pat dry strawberries. Place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
Draw a little Amaretto into a syringe. (You can get one at a pharmacy)
Gently insert the plastic tip of the syringe into the underside of the strawberry, slowly depressing the stopper to inject the Amaretto. Watch carefully - you will see the strawberry puff up as the liquor fills it. Pat dry any excess Amaretto and place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
Using a microwave safe container, and working with one dish at a time, place chocolate in microwave at medium power for 1- 1 1/2 minutes.
Remove and stir. If not melted, return to microwave and repeat heating step, stirring every 30 seconds, as scorching can occur. When small lumps remain, remove and continue to stir to complete melting.
Carefully hold a strawberry by the stem and dip/swirl the berry in the chocolate.
Place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Repeat until all strawberries have been dipped.
Place cookie sheet in refrigerator until chocolate is set.
Serve with whatever your heart desires.