Breakable Chocolate Heart Strawberries (Printer-friendly)

A striking chocolate heart enclosing fresh strawberries, perfect for a romantic and interactive dessert moment.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chocolate Shell

01 - 10.6 oz high-quality dark or milk chocolate, chopped (couverture recommended)

→ Filling

02 - 7 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and dried

→ Decoration

03 - 1 oz white chocolate, melted for drizzling
04 - Edible gold leaf or sprinkles

# Directions:

01 - Chop the chocolate into small, even pieces. Melt two-thirds of the chocolate gently over a double boiler or in a microwave using 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Add the remaining third and stir until fully melted and tempered.
02 - Pour the tempered chocolate into a clean, dry heart-shaped silicone or polycarbonate mold. Tilt to coat all surfaces evenly. Invert and let excess chocolate drip out, leaving a 0.1 to 0.12 inch shell. Scrape the edges clean. Chill the mold in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
03 - Repeat the chocolate coating for added sturdiness. Chill for another 10 minutes.
04 - Carefully remove the chocolate heart shell from the mold. Place it on a parchment-lined tray.
05 - Place the prepared strawberries inside one half of the chocolate heart. If using a single-piece mold, gently fill through an opening.
06 - Gently warm the edge of the empty half or a chocolate disk if using a single mold and press it onto the filled half to seal. Smooth the seam with a warm spatula if desired.
07 - Drizzle with melted white chocolate, add sprinkles, or apply edible gold leaf. Chill until ready to serve.
08 - Present with a small wooden mallet or spoon for breaking open the heart and revealing the strawberries inside.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but tastes like pure strawberry and chocolate bliss, no fancy techniques required once you get the hang of it.
  • The interactive breaking element means your person gets to discover the surprise themselves, which feels more personal than handing over a plate.
  • You can make it hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, so there's zero stress on the actual day.
02 -
  • If your strawberries aren't completely dry, they'll release moisture that softens the chocolate from the inside—I learned this the expensive way when three berries turned a beautiful shell into a soggy mess.
  • Tempering chocolate isn't mystical; it's just heating, cooling, and reheating to the right temperatures so your shell sets with a shine and snaps cleanly instead of being dull or greasy.
  • The sealing step is where patience pays off—rush it and you'll crack the shell, but go slow and you'll have a beautiful, airtight package of chocolate and strawberries.
03 -
  • If you don't have a heart-shaped mold, any silicone mold works—the magic isn't in the shape, it's in the chocolate tempering and the surprise inside.
  • Make the shells a day ahead and keep them in the fridge, then fill and seal them just hours before serving so the chocolate stays glossy and fresh.
  • Use a wooden mallet instead of a spoon if you want drama—the satisfying tap and crack moment feels like opening a gift within a gift.
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