Friday 19 August 2011

Strawberry Delights


In England, the strawberry season is well underway and these succulent little tastes of summer are cheap to buy in the markets or supermarkets. So, to take advantage of the best of the season, why not make some quick and simple strawberry treats. You can get the kids involved too.

To make strawberry chocolates, first put a pan of water on the stove and place a heat-proof bowl on top. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Break some chocolate into the bowl to melt gently. We prefer dark chocolate with 70%+ cocoa solids but use whatever you like. White chocolate works too.

While the chocolate is melting, rinse, drain and pat dry the strawberries. Leave the stalks intact. Discard any berries which are not firm.

When the chocolate has melted, dip each strawberry - leaving the top uncovered. You may need to use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the strawberries as you get to the bottom of the bowl. Draw straws to see who gets to lick the bowl at the end!

To set the chocolate, place the strawberries upside-down on a wire rack. If you haven't got a wire rack, try the rack from the oven and cover with cling film. Alternatively, scrunch up some aluminium foil, place on a tray and set the strawberries in the depressions. Leave for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to start setting then place in the fridge to harden. This takes about 30 minutes. Tuck in as soon as the chocolate has hardened. The end results are cheaper than a box of chocolates and more healthy too. You can also serve them as an after dinner treat or as part of a cockpit or pontoon party - if you can resist the temptation to eat them all yourself!

Should you find yourself with a glut of strawberries, a simple and quick dessert is strawberries with Greek yoghurt served with chocolate shavings. Wash the strawberries, slice off the tops and cut in half. Put one dollop of Greek yoghurt into the centre of a small bowl. Arrange the berries artfully around and on top of the yoghurt. Use a speed peeler or sharp knife to shave some chocolate over the top. Done in about 5 minutes.


PS The strawberries used in this post were from Kent and cost £1 for 2 punnets (cartons). This quantity made 4 desserts and about 2 dozen chocolates.