This recipe combines the flavors of juicy ripe strawberries, with sweet orange, lemon and chocolate. Imagine the surprise of your guests, when they bite into these beautiful chocolate covered strawberries, and find a rich cream cheese filling! These berries are perfect to serve at showers, wine parties or family gatherings.
• Servings: 20
• 20 ripe medium to large strawberries
• 1 fresh lemon
• 1 fresh orange
• 1 cup(s) of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 8 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 12 ounce(s) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounce(s) of white chocolate chips
Steps
1. Throughly wash and dry strawberries.
2. To create filling, zest one lemon, and 1/2 of fresh orange. Finely dice zest.
3. In mixing bowl, combine diced zest, cream cheese, powered sugar and vanilla with hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
4. To stuff berries, create a vertical slit next to leaves with sharp knife. Do not cut all the way through, open like a book.
5. Hollow out center of berries with baby spoon, grapefruit knife, or tip of butter knife-whatever works!
6. Place cream cheese mixture into heavy zip lock bag. Push cream cheese mix towards one corner and twist bag. Cut offcorner tip of bag.
7. Squeeze cream into center of hollowed out berries. Fold together and place on waxed paper.
8. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, checking and stirring until completely melted.
9. Dip strawberries into chocolate. You can use a spoon or strawberry dipping fork to help hold strawberry, drain off excess chocolate.
10. Place strawberries on waxed paper, and place into refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm.
11. To decorate, place 4 ounces of white chocolate into another heavy ziplock bag. Melt in microwave until melted, checking every 30 minutes.
12. Cut tip on bag, pushing chocolate towards that corner. Gentle squiggle white chocolate back and forth across strawberry.
13. Let set for 5 minutes in refrigerator if desired. Place strawberries on beautiful serving platter. Refrigerate strawberries until needed. Enjoy at your next special occasion!