Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bouquet

Chocolate-covered strawberries are such an iconic display of love… or, at least, that someone has a crush on you! After all, strawberries and chocolate are two of the most powerful (and delicious, I’ll add) aphrodisiacs in the world! So, when you have strawberries to hand, AND chocolate, why wait until Valentine’s Day to show that special person you love them? Even better, why not make it more romantic and create a chocolate-covered strawberry bouquet?

I’ve put together this guide to show you how to make a DIY chocolate-covered strawberry bouquet with flowers to give to your beau, or to make together. Or, you can just keep all those chocolate-covered strawberries for yourself – I know I would!

What will I need to make a chocolate covered strawberry bouquet?

Considering how beautiful this chocolate-covered strawberry bouquet is with all the garnishes and flowers, can you believe it is actually incredibly easy to make? I had a lot of fun putting this together, and it would be a great anniversary activity to make with your other half.

So, what do you need to make a chocolate-covered strawberry bouquet?

Strawberries: Before you roll your eyes and say ‘Obviously!’, you need to make sure your strawberries are flawless – big enough to be noticeable on the end of a bamboo skewer, and fresh and firm.

Flowers: to make your arrangement look extra special, add some flowers to the bouquet. Roses are always a winner; their dark red color looks striking among the chocolate-covered strawberries.

Bamboo skewers: These wooden sticks are often available in the barbecue section of the grocery store.

Dark chocolate melts: Buy chocolate which melts easily and also tastes good. You don’t want any fake chocolatey flavors here!

Garnishes: Let your imagination go wild! Try melting white chocolate as a drizzle, or sprinkling multi-colored sprinkles, chopped nuts, caramel, or even gold powder!

Tall jars or glasses: These are essential for the DIY project; one jar you will fill with melted chocolate for dipping your strawberries, the other is to stand each skewered strawberry while the cap of chocolate sets.

Bucket, pail or vase: For your chocolate covered strawberry arrangement! Don’t worry if it’s not particularly beautiful to look at.

Tissue or parcel paper: To wrap around the bucket or pail to make it look sleek and professional.

How to make a chocolate covered strawberry bouquet

Set up your pail

Make sure your bucket or pail can hold all the skewers and flowers – if it is too wide, everything will flop to the side. You can also use a vase. As this bouquet is a gift, you will want it to look the part, so cover the pail in some pretty paper, or brown parcel paper as they do in florists.

Prepare the flowers

Including flowers in your bouquet adds extra romance, plus they smell wonderful! First, trim the stems to the same length as your bamboo skewers, so everything in the bouquet is roughly the same height. Arrange the flowers in your pail.

Prepare the strawberries

Wash all the strawberries thoroughly and remove the leaves or you can also leave them it’s up to you. Carefully dry them – the chocolate won’t set on the strawberries if they are slightly wet. Insert a bamboo skewer into each one.

Here is a step by step guide on how to wash strawberries the right way

• Add the strawberries to a bowl with water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
• Let them soak for a few minutes then rinse the water a few times until all the vinegar is gone and the water is clear.
• Drain off any excess water by placing the strawberries on a kitchen towel.
• Dry them with a paper towel or leave them to air dry.

Melt the chocolate

Chocolate melts are perfect for this as they don’t need to be tempered. Either melt them in a double boiler – a bowl set over simmering water on the stove – or in the microwave. The microwave is fierce though, so check the chocolate every 15 seconds to ensure that it doesn’t get too hot and overcook. Pour your glossy melted chocolate into a tall jar.

Dipping

Dunk each skewered strawberry into the chocolate and stand them in your spare jar or glass. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the setting process. Once set, repeat with another layer of chocolate – the more chocolate the better!

Garnishing

You can now garnish your wet second coat of chocolate with any garnishes you want! You can drizzle melted white chocolate from a piping bag, or sprinkle with nuts or caramel, or go crazy with gold dust!

Arranging

Once the chocolate is set, arrange all the chocolate covered strawberries among the flowers in your covered pail. If using a narrow vase, you can secure everything together with an elastic band. In a bucket or pail, you can fill the base with Styrofoam or some scrunched up newspaper so your bouquet can stand upright.

Try my recipe for a DIY chocolate covered strawberry bouquet with flowers, and woo your loved one!

How long do strawberry covered chocolates last?

Well, they can be kept at room temperature for a few hours. If you’re going to keep them longer than that, put them in the fridge where they will last a week or so – make sure you cover them with cling film if not using an airtight container.

What does it mean when someone gives you chocolate covered strawberries?

When someone gives you chocolate covered strawberries it means that they are trying to tell you something romantic. Your loved one is expressing their love for you in an understated, but incredibly special way. That’s why the gift of chocolate covered strawberries

On what occasion would you give chocolate covered strawberries as a gift?

Valentine’s Day: This is a common gift at Valentine’s Day, and can express a number of things. It could mean how much a person loves or admires you, two great reasons to give someone chocolate covered strawberries! Or it could be an indicator that the person giving them really likes you and wants to know if you like them too.

Mother’s Day: A lovely gesture for mothers, just like it is on Valentine’s Day. This is a great way to express how much you appreciate everything she has done.

Birthdays: Again, this could be a sign of romance and love too. It could also be a great birthday present for anyone who loves chocolate!

Anniversaries: A romantic gesture to say I’m thinking of you and our relationship, or a massive thank you for everything we share together.

How can I send chocolate covered strawberries to someone’s home?

Once you’ve made the chocolate covered strawberries following this recipe, you can send them to a friend or loved one’s home by packaging them in a box and sending them through the post. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Collect your chocolate covered strawberries from the jar/glass where they have been setting and transfer to a plate.

2. Place some bubble wrap at the bottom of the cardboard box you are going to send them in.

3. Arrange your chocolate covered strawberries in the box so they are standing upright, and add a final layer on top if you have room!

4. Seal up the box and address it. It’s best to go to a post office rather than a mailbox as this will ensure that it is kept safe until collected. Label it ‘THIS WAY UP’ and ‘FRAGILE’.

5. Mail the box to your loved one!