1 Make a chocolate dipping sauce and serve with dried and fresh fruit
2 Dip pears in chocolate
3 For a salty-sweet combo, dip pretzels in chocolate
4 Heart-shaped shortbread cookies, dipped in chocolate, make a nice gift
Chocolate is a happy food -- it's associated with fun, youth and especially Valentine's Day. You can buy your sweetheart many different kinds of chocolate offerings. Why not make something that really demonstrates your love? Pure chocolate gifts are delicious, but chocolate dipped and covered foods are a good alternative. Below are some of our favorite recipes and what you need to know about chocolate to succeed.
One great pairing is fruit with chocolate. Put together a platter of some dried fruits like apricots and papaya, along with some fresh fruit like strawberries. Then make a chocolate dipping sauce for a delicious treat. Chocolate dipped pears can also be a nice gift. Choose small ripe pears, like Forelle, so they are easy to handle.
Combining something salty with chocolate is also a good option. One favorite is chocolate dipped pretzels.
As a gift you can also bake a batch of shortbread hearts that are finished by dipping them in chocolate.
Chocolate may soften at room temperature. To prevent this from happening you need to temper the chocolate. If not, keep the item refrigerated until you're ready to eat it.
