Chocolate Covered Strawberries

We spent an hour or so this morning paying our local x-ray department a visit due to a little mishap that my hubby had in work yesterday - go to the blog page to have a looksey at his nicely swollen ankle :o) - and on the way back we made a quick stop at our small grocery store not far from home to grab a few things.  The first thing I saw as I walked through the door were these big, luscious strawberries nestled in their boxes almost begging me to take them home and eat them - how could I refuse - so as easy as you please, two packs found their way into the bottom of the basket even before I could blink.

Of course we could of just munched away at them until we had a small pile of green stalks left on the side of the plate, or I could of made a small batch of homemade preserve, but then I suddenly had an inspiration of something that I've always wanted to try but just never got around to.....chocolate covered strawberries!!!....and what better excuse to make something so beautiful as Mother's Day which is coming up on Sunday.  Now, Dean and I don't have any human children of our own (just our two little kitties), so we always miss out on things when it comes to Mother's Day and Father's Day, so this year I thought I'd make these scrumptious little treats for myself......from the cats :o)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

12-15 strawberries
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I actually used a mix of milk and plain)
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

• put some wax paper on a large cutting board or cookie sheet big enough to hold all the strawberries and one that will fit into your fridge;  set aside.
• wash the strawberries and pat them with kitchen towel until dry.
• put the milk chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl and in 10 second increments microwave until just melting;  stir to melt completely.
• pierce the strawberries through the stalk end with a toothpick so that you can hold them and dip into the melted chocolate.  Let the excess drip off back into the bowl and place them on the prepared wax paper covered board so that they don't touch each other.
• once you've dipped them all, place them into the fridge to set.
• when they're set, microwave the white chocolate chips as you did the milk and using a fork dip it into the chocolate and drizzle over the strawberries - if you want it to be neater you can always put the melted white chocolate into a piping bag and pipe it across them, but I quite like the rougher look to these....even more homemade somehow :o) - sorry, I didn't get a photo of this stage...oops!!
• pop them back into the fridge to set completely.
• I'm giving some of them away to friends for Mother's Day so I placed them individually into paper muffin cases and then into foil trays and I think they look pretty, don't you?

 Chocolate Covered Strawberries ingredients.

I used a mix of milk and plain chocolate only because that was what I had on hand.

melt it in the microwave until smooth.

with a toothpick pushed in to the stalk end so that it's easier to hold, dip your strawberries.....

....and let the excess drip off.

once they're all dipped, pop them in the fridge to set.

melt the white chocolate and using a fork drizzle it over the set strawberries until they look like....

.....this :o)

I'm giving some away to friends for Mother's day, so I popped them in paper muffin cases and a foil tray just to make them look a little prettier.

Peppermint Patties

Let us all take a deep breath for a moment.....to get ourselves ready for the over-indulgence of the holiday season!!  These should get you off to a good start if you haven't already :)

I've always loved peppermint patties (or any variation of chocolate and mint candy).  I can remember as a child my Mum, who was and still is, a huge chocolate addict loving her box of After Eight mints that someone invariably bought her for Christmas.  Unfortunately they're pretty much out of my life now because I'm diabetic. Just the look of the ingredients sitting in the pantry spikes my blood sugar, but saying that I decided that I wanted to try and make some to give away for Christmas treats to friends and family. They're surprisingly easy to make, if a little time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Peppermint Patties
makes 50

4 1/2 - 4 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 can (300ml) condensed milk
1 Tbs peppermint extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 Tbs shortening

• first of all make sure that you have enough room in your freezer to accommodate a large cutting board or baking sheet - it's easier to sort this out BEFORE you have the patties already on the board and then can't fit them in (as I found out myself!!!).
• line a large cutting board or baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.
• in the bowl of a stand mixer add 3 cups of the sugar, the condensed milk and peppermint extract; blend until combined.
• gradually add the extra sugar, in 1/2 cup increments until a dough forms in the consistency of modelling clay (I used just over 4 1/2 cups in the end).
• take pieces of dough and roll between your palms to form balls about the size of a small walnut; place on the wax paper lined cutting board and flatten to form discs no thinner than 1/4 inch thick.
• place the trays in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.
• in a microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips (stirring after every 30 second increments), until smooth.
• add the shortening and stir until mixed in completely.
• working as quickly as possible, place the frozen discs on the tines of a fork and dip into the melted chocolate to coat.  Scrape the back of the fork against the edge of the bowl to let excess chocolate drain off.
• place on wax paper and leave to set completely.  They can be put into the refrigerator to set quicker is you just can't wait to taste them!
• Happy Holidays :)

 Peppermint Patties ingredients.

sweet, sweet and more sweet.

combine the sugar, condensed milk and peppermint extract until a firm dough.

form balls the size of small walnuts.

flatten to make discs.

it's easier if you cube the shortening, that way it combines quicker once you melt the chocolate chips.

melt the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring between each one.

place the 'sugar' discs on the tines of a fork and dip into the melted chocolate.

it might not look like it but there is wax paper down that I'm placing them onto :)

don't they look beautiful :)

even though I suffered for it later, I had to taste test at least one - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it !!!

I had a little of the chocolate left over, so I put some wax paper down and dropped circles of it on there to set - these can then be used any way you like, either broken up in choc chip cookies, or just stick a few into ice cream for a treat.