These Deep Fried Chocolate-Covered Strawberries have a fresh strawberry with a deliciously thick layer of chocolate all surrounded by a sweet fluffy pancake-like batter that just screams to be eaten!
Sing with me, friends!
“It’s Fry-Day, Fry-Day, gotta fry things on Fry-Day! Everyone’s frying for the weekend! (weekend!)”
That’s right, not only do I provide delicious dessert recipes, I’m also your one-stop source for dated Rebecca Black references. You’re welcome.
You’re also welcome for this:
Just when you thought fresh strawberries couldn’t get any better, they’re dipped in chocolate. And then when you thought they really really couldn’t get any better, they’re battered and deep fried, and served hot and crispy with chocolate sauce. I am so down with Fry-Day.
What is a deep fried chocolate-covered strawberry, you might ask? Well, it’s a strawberry that’s been covered in a thick layer of chocolate (duh) then dipped in a pancake-like batter. This batter is thicker than some other fry batters, and contains eggs, so it puffs up when it fries. This means it creates a fluffy layer of sweet dough around the strawberry, and it becomes an integral part of the dessert, rather than just a protective outer shell.
The balls are best served warm (but not hot!) so the outside is crisp, the chocolate is fluid, and the strawberries melt into the rest like just-cooked jam. They had enough different flavors and textures going on that I loved eating them plain, but they’d also be good with a side of chocolate sauce for dipping.
Apologies to those of you who are curious about what they look like inside—I decided against including a cut-open picture. You know how cooked strawberries go from being vibrant and bold to sort of washed-out and colorless? And their texture goes from looking juicy and inviting to looking like they’ve already been chewed a little? Yeah. Imagine a cross-section of a pale berry, looking like it’s already been licked, surrounded by a layer of melted chocolate, surrounded by fluffy fried dough. The chocolate and the dough were both deliciously inviting, but the cooked berry looked rough. I asked Jason if I should include it anyway, and he shook his head quickly, and visibly blanched. So you’ll just have to use your imagination, and also trust me when I tell you to not bite these in half before you serve them to your guests.
That’s probably not the best note to end on, so….pretend I wasn’t just talking about licked berries, and instead focus on this gorgeous picture below. Fruity, jammy berries, molten chocolate, and crispy sweet dough, all in one small package? Yes yes and yes!
And finally, you are all caught up on the Fry-Day fun?
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Deep Fried Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 1 lb strawberries, about 25-30 medium berries—the smaller, the better
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the Batter
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
- Candy/Deep Fry Thermometer
Instructions
Prepare the Strawberries
- Wash the strawberries and pat them dry thoroughly. Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until it is smooth and free of lumps. Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip it in the chocolate so that the chocolate covers everything but the stem. Place the strawberry on the baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining strawberries, until they’re all dipped in chocolate. Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 20 minutes.
Prepare the Batter
- While you wait for the chocolate to harden, prepare the batter. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and oil together. Add the liquid ingredients to the drys, and stir just until the lumps disappear and the mixture is smooth.
Fry the Strawberries
- When the chocolate is set, use a sharp paring knife to remove the stems from the strawberries. Keep the tray of strawberries in the refrigerator, removing a few at a time as you fry them.
- Pour the frying oil into a medium saucepan so that it’s 2 inches deep, and insert the candy thermometer. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 370 F (188 C). Once at 370 F, take a chocolate-covered strawberry and dip it in the batter, turning it over with your hands until it’s completely covered. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl, then gently drop it into the oil. Repeat with 3-4 more strawberries, so you’re frying 4-5 at a time.
- Fry the strawberries for about 3-4 minutes total, until puffed and golden brown. Mine flipped themselves as they cooked, but monitor them and flip them if necessary so they cook evenly. Remove them from the oil using a frying skimmer or slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries and batter. Watch the temperature of the oil and keep it between 360 F-370 F (182 – 188 C)—remove it from the heat if it gets too hot, or let it warm up in between batches if the temperature drops too much.
- These Deep Fried Chocolate Covered Strawberries are best served warm, but not hot, with a side of whipped cream or chocolate sauce.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
I honestly can’t believe you would do that to beautiful fresh strawberries. Covering them in chocolate? SURE. But deep-frying them is just insane.
I was skeptical, too! But, you know, I eat 95% of my fresh strawberries plain…why not experiment with just a few? For fun? And for SCIENCE!
…okay, no, just for fun…
How long do these keep? Or how far in advance canyou make these for a party? TIA
Hi Kerrie, Unfortunately this is one of those recipes that’s best enjoyed fresh. I don’t think fried foods in general keep very well, and for this dish you really want the chocolate on the inside to be melty and the outer layer to be crisp. Both of those things will start to change the longer they sit at room temperature. I’d say optimally they should be eaten within 15-20 minutes of making them, but you might be able to push it to an hour after frying if you’re okay with the outer layer getting soft and less crispy.
Can you eat them not warm? I mean cold, or room temperature?
think it would be possible to bacon wrap these?
Hi Andy! I’ve never tried wrapping them in bacon, but would love to know if you decide to try it! Who doesn’t love bacon?!? Best of luck