Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Raw cacao, coconut oil and maple syrup = love, or maybe just dipping chocolate for strawberries, but chocolate strawberries are the quintessential Valentines treat. I enjoy the simplicity of this recipe. I also appreciate that it doesn't get as hard as other chocolate dipped strawberries that crack and make a mess, unless you stick the whole darn thing in your mouth. This chocolate is very forgiving and easy to dip, coating the strawberries with just the right amount of chocolate. Try other fruits like bananas, kiwi, pineapple, cherries etc. We love dipping halved bananas, sprinkling with nuts and freezing for a banana pop.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp. organic, raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp. pure, organic maple syrup, or raw honey
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 lb. organic strawberries. Other ideas for dipping: bananas, nut butter filled dates, nuts, apples, mangoes, kiwi, pineapple.
In a small pan, gently melt coconut oil over medium-low heat.
Add cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla and salt into the coconut oil.
Blend with an immersion blender until slightly thickened.
Clean strawberries thoroughly with a paper towel or cloth, or wash and allow to completely dry.
Hold a strawberry by the green leaves and dip it into the chocolate.
Hold it over the bowl and give it a little shake, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl of chocolate.
Place on a tray lined with parchment paper.
When all the strawberries are dipped, place the tray in the fridge to allow the chocolate to firm up.
Store strawberries in the fridge until serving.
Strawberries will store for several days in the fridge.
NOTES
Coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's best to keep dipped strawberries in the fridge until serving, to keep the chocolate firm.
Healthy coconut oil should taste like... coconut, otherwise it has been refined and likely chemically deodorized. If this does not appeal to you, use raw cacao butter instead. Cacao butter will take longer to melt.
The great thing about this recipe is, you don't have to worry about tempering, or the chocolate seizing up if it gets a drop of water in it etc.
For a more dark chocolate flavor, add less sweetener.
If the chocolate is too thin, wait for it to cool just a bit.
The reason why I suggest gently heating the coconut oil, is to keep the raw cacao at a lower temperature when it's added, to maintain the nutrients; however, if you find the taste is a bit chalky, heat the coconut oil up to a slightly higher temperature.