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Platter of chocolate covered strawberries with white chocolate zigzag and chopped pistachios on parchment

Chocolate Covered Strawberries With a Smooth, Glossy Shell

Chocolate covered strawberries with a glossy semisweet shell, a white chocolate zigzag, and chopped pistachios. Made in the microwave with five ingredients, no tempering, and a 1 hour chill and dry time.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 2 berries
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 224

Ingredients
  

Strawberries
  • 16 large fresh strawberries with stems about 1 pound, rinsed and fully dried
Chocolate coating
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 9 ounces, such as Ghirardelli
  • 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil
Drizzle and topping
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips 2 ounces
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios finely chopped

Equipment

  • Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Tall microwave-safe cup (2 cup size)
  • Small microwave-safe bowl
  • Zip-top sandwich bag
  • Silicone spatula
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Rinse the strawberries under cool running water with the stems on, pat each berry with a paper towel, and rest them on a fresh dry towel for 30 minutes, until no damp spots remain on the skin or around the stem. Line the baking sheet with parchment and set the microwave to 50% power.
  2. Microwave the chips and coconut oil in the tall cup at 50% power for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat 3 to 4 times, about 2 minutes in all, until only a few soft chips remain. Stop there so the chocolate stays under 115°F, then stir until it looks smooth and glossy.
  3. Hold a berry by the stem, dip it at a slight angle to cover two thirds of the fruit, then lift straight up and twist gently. Drag the tip across the cup rim once, then hold the berry over the cup for 5 seconds, until the drip slows to a trickle.
  4. Set each berry on the parchment, 1 inch apart. Sprinkle pistachios on 8 berries right away, while the coating still looks wet and shiny. Work in batches of 4 berries.
  5. Chill the baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, until the shell looks matte, feels dry, and shows no fingerprint when touched lightly.
  6. Microwave the white chocolate chips in the small bowl at 50% power for 20 seconds, then stir. Repeat 3 to 4 times, stopping the moment it stirs smooth and falls from the spoon in a smooth ribbon.
  7. Spoon the white chocolate into the zip-top bag, snip a 1/8-inch corner, and drizzle zigzag lines over the berries. The lines should stay thin and hold their shape.
  8. Chill 10 more minutes, until the drizzle looks matte and feels firm at the edges of each line. Serve right away or store.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days (best within 24 hours) in a shallow container with the lid resting loosely on top. Freezing is not recommended.
Swap the pistachios for 2 tablespoons of crushed freeze-dried strawberries for a nut-free version.
Nutrition counts all of the chocolate in the recipe, even though a little stays in the cup, so real values run slightly lower.