Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients:

• 24-30 perfectly ripened strawberries, green caps intact
• 6 oz (.375 lb) sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet, or white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Rinse strawberries, dry thoroughly on paper towels. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a non-stick skillet set over low heat, or in a glass bowl in the microwave (on full power in 30-second intervals).

Regardless of the method used to melt chocolate, stir it as it starts to soften. Chocolate should not be hot - if it gets too hot, it will be too thin and it will drip off of the strawberries rather than adhere to them.

Be careful - overheating chocolate may cause scorching and keep it from blending properly. Insert a toothpick into the stem end of each strawberry and dip into the chocolate, coating 3/4 of the berry. (Leave the green cap and some of the red berry showing for a more decorative finished product.)

Spear the free end of the toothpick into a piece of styrofoam or a grapefruit to allow the strawberry to dry upside down. (Strawberries may also be dried on waxed paper.) If the chocolate becomes too thick to work with, re-heat gently. If desired, after the chocolate hardens, dip the tip in a contrasting chocolate.

After the chocolate hardens, remove the strawberries from the toothpicks. The chocolate-dipped strawberries are best if eaten within 24 hours - refrigerate for longer storage, but serve at room temperature for greatest flavor.