Chocolate covered strawberries have become a staple on Valentine's Day, and the perfect way to say "I love you," but buying them pre-made can cost you a pretty penny. Not only does making them at home save you money, but it also leaves room for creativity, and there's just something about giving a homemade gift that makes it really feel like it came from the heart.
There's so much more that you can do with strawberries than just dip them in chocolate, and the chef's over at Food Network have come up with some decadent chocolate strawberry desserts that are the perfect way to make this Valentine's Day extra special.
1. Salty Chocolate Covered Strawberries
This simple classic (pictured above) is always a good idea, and chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., has come up with a tasty new way to make it salty and sweet. After you dip the strawberries in the chocolate, before it hardens, dip it into some crushed up pretzel rods for the perfect crunchy combination.
Click here for recipe.
2. Chocolate-Strawberry Waffle Ball on a Stick
Breakfast meets dessert in the most brilliant way possible. Basically, this is a chocolate covered strawberry stuffed inside of a fluffy waffle/pancake and then drenched in powdered sugar, and the results are mouthwatering. (Pictured below).
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3. Heart of the Batter
Cupcakes are always a fun and easy dessert to bake, and even though these are made from scratch, absolutely nobody is stopping you from buying the already made cupcake mix and just adding strawberry-flavored mix to give it that extra flavor and color. This recipe is special because inside the strawberry-flavored batter is a surprise strawberry - so when cut, it ends up looking like a little heart. Top with some chocolate frosting and even more strawberries for the perfect Valentine's Day cupcake.
Click here for recipe.
4. Chocolate-Strawberry Crepes
Crepes can savory or sweet, and chef Giada De Laurentiis has created this amazing chocolate crepe that's not only stuffed with a strawberry jam mixture, but also topped with melted Nutella for the ultimate sweet version.
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5. Chocolate-Strawberry Panini
Panini's are one thing that you typically don't see sweet variations of, but Chef Giada De Laurentiis has done it again. All you need is some Nutella, pound cake and strawberries to make this easy and delicious dessert sandwich that's grilled to perfection.
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6. Chocolate Pavlova with Strawberries and Cream
Pavlova is a dessert that's a meringue-based caked with a crisp crust and a soft, light inside that's typically topped with fruit and whipped cream. This take on the Russian classic has a soft chocolate marshmallow center and is topped with strawberries and cream. While it is easy to make, it does taking some time to prep as it needs 2 hours to bake and three hours to cool.
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7. Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes
A chocolate-twist on an old fashioned classic. This recipe requires a decent amount of ingredients and steps, but is overall pretty easy to make, and so worth it in the end.
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8. Strawberry Chocolate Layer Cake
If you're headed to a Valentine's Day party, or just want a ton of leftovers, this is the perfect dessert to make as it's piled high with four alternating layers of delicious chocolate cake, whipped cream and strawberries.
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9. Chocolate Brownie Sandwich Cookies
These cookies are served on a stick, have a white chocolate ganache and strawberry preserves inside and are then drizzled with even more white chocolate for the ultimate sweet overload. The chocolate brownie cookies alone are enough to keep you satisfied, but everything sandwiched in between is what makes these one-of-a-kind.
Click here for recipe.
