The Best of Both Worlds: Chocolate Covered Fruit

Today’s guest post talks about one of my favorite things, Chocolate!  Rebecca is sharing with us all sorts of ways to make delicious treats with Chocolate Covered Fruit!

The Best of Both Worlds: Chocolate Covered Fruit

Let’s face it. Who doesn’t love chocolate? There’s very little not to love about this wonderfully smooth, rich and decadent treat. But, we all know that too much of a good thing isn’t necessarily great for the waistline, so that’s why chocolate covered fruit is a real hit. Whilst fruit is healthy and bursting with vitamins, when you combine it with chocolate, it’s a real match made in heaven.

Why fruit and chocolate make a good pair

Chocolate and fruit are both sweet, but rather than the combined taste being overpoweringly sugary, it can actually work really well together. The sweetness in each is not the same, so when the two meet, they help to enhance each other’s flavours to create a really indulgent taste.

We all know that fruit is a really healthy choice of snack, but for those special occasions when you want to be just a little bit naughty, then the pairing can be exquisite. However, it can work better for some fruits than others, so matching flavours up is key to get the desired taste.

Strawberries and chocolate

Most sweet-toothed connoisseurs will already be more than familiar with the pairing of strawberries and chocolate, as this is one of the most common fruit and choc combinations. With good reason, too. Strawberries and chocolate really bring out each other’s flavours, and there are various ways that they can be served. Chocolate can either be covered over the strawberries and left to set. Or, a really popular way is to dip strawberries into melted, dripping chocolate.

Banana and chocolate

Chocolate and banana works incredibly well, too. For an instant after dinner treat, that is quite, simple but will still steal the show, slice some bananas along the length, with the skin still on. Insert chunks of chocolate down the slit. Cover the banana with tin foil and other place in the oven for 10 minutes or so, or even better toss them on a barbecue.

Frozen fruits

Fruit dipped in chocolate and then put in the freezer makes for a really delicious snack. Choose fruits such as pineapple, oranges, berries, bananas, cherries, apricots and grapes, because these freeze really well. If you want to pair chocolate with fruits such as apples and melons, then have them fresh, as they don’t freeze all that well.

Dried fruits

In your quest to find the tastiest fruit and chocolate pairing, don’t forget to consider using dried fruits. You’ll have probably already tried chocolate raisins, but chocolate covered dried apricots and other dried berries work really well too. Experiment with different types and brands of chocolate. Aside from milk chocolate, try dark chocolate or white chocolate. Bitter chocolate works better with the sweetest fruits.

Skewers

For a really fruity, chocolate treat, thread some fruit pieces onto skewers. Melt chocolate over a pan of boiling water, and then dip the skewers in the chocolate. If you can avoid the temptation, leave the skewers to stand for a few hours to set.

Author bio: Rebecca Fox is a lover of all things chocolate. She can be found writing for the Irish chocolatier Lily O’Briens and spends her free time baking and cooking vegetarian cuisine. She enjoys sharing recipes, tips and ideas with fellow food fans and cocoa addicts.