Chocolate Strawberries (and cream)

I've mentioned before how fruit is always a big hit, be in canned or fresh or frozen, made into a sauce, a dessert, atop a salad, or standing alone. We always have tons on hand, in every form, from frozen berries, fresh melons, pineapples, strawberries, grapes and citrus fruits, to a dried assortment and canned cranberries and mandarin orange segments.

I try to incorporate fruit into my desserts and salads as much as possible, and always serve fresh oranges and grapefruit with breakfast. I tend to do the same thing over and over again: spinach salad with halved grapes, sliced strawberries, feta cheese, candied pecans and balsamic vinaigrette. Strawberry shortcake (an all-time favorite), berry crisp, black-bottomed banana cake, lemon bars...

But yesterday we had these gorgeous strawberries, bright red, perfect size, shape, sweet and juicy- I wanted to showcase their beauty and flavor, without serving them naked and alone. I decided to serve them dipped or drizzled with chocolate with some fresh soft whipped cream. So simple, so easy, and I've never gotten so many compliments on a dessert.

When the residents saw "chocolate strawberries" on the menu, a lot of them asked what that meant, or asked "chocolate strawberry what?" Chocolate strawberry nothing. Many noted how beautiful they looked, and all commented on how wonderful they tasted. One resident told me she had heard of covering strawberries with chocolate, but never actually had it- I was shocked to hear that someone had not tried these before, but then I heard it several more times. Even my pickiest resident, who is always telling me how awful food my food was (even when she's the only one that thinks so) went out of her way to tell me the afternoon dessert was lovely. That it was such a simple idea, and yet no one had ever served it before.

So if for some reason, the seniors in your life have not tried chocolate dipped strawberries, please do something about it immediately. Spring is here, berries are starting to pop up (not that you can't get anything, anytime these days), and fresh strawberries covered in chocolate and served with a cool fresh whipped cream, slightly sweetened with sugar and vanilla are a wonderful light (but rich) and elegant dessert.

In case you're not sure how, here are the basics:

Fresh strawberries, washed and dried

Chocolate for melting (such as chocolate chips)

Whipping Cream

Powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup per 2 cups cream)

Vanilla (about 1 teaspoon per 2 cups cream)

Melt your chocolate over a double boiler, you might want to add a little cream for smoothness. Dip your clean dry strawberries in the chocolate, roll around or use a spoon to coat all the way up the the green stem. Place on a baking sheet covered with wax or parchment paper to set. Once all are coated, put in fridge. Whip your cream, sugar and vanilla to very soft peaks. Serve together!

(I often sprinkle the still wet chocolate strawberries with finishing salt, or drizzle with stripes of melted white chocolate for garnish)