Chocolate Covered Strawberry Dream Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Melt the butter with the cocoa powder, sugar and espresso powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Whisk the heavy cream and egg in a small bowl. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the butter-cocoa mixture, then pour into the saucepan. Cook, whisking, until combined and thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, almonds and vanilla bean paste. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan.
• Make the filling: Pulse half of the freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 cup) in a food processor until slightly powdery with a few pieces remaining. Set aside the remaining strawberries for topping.
• Put the white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over the white chocolate chips. Let sit until softened, 3 to 5 minutes; stir until smooth. (If the chips are not fully melted, microwave in 20-second intervals until smooth.) Stir in the strawberry powder. Spread over the cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Make the topping: Microwave the semisweet chocolate chips with the shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly over the filling. Gently crush the reserved freeze-dried strawberries and sprinkle over the top. Cover and refrigerate until set. Lift out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into bars.
• Freeze-dried strawberries have a ton of flavor. You just have to make sure you don?t pulverize them into too fine a powder; you want to be able to see the nice red flecks.

Steps:

• To make Striped Strawberries, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with chocolate chips, repeat with the white chocolate chips.
• Insert toothpick into the top of a strawberry.
• Coat strawberry entirely in chocolate, alternating between white and dark.
• Chill strawberries for about 15 minutes or until hardened.
• For white chocolate strawberries drizzle dark chocolate over the top in a quick back and forth motion. For dark chocolate strawberries, do the same with white chocolate drizzle.
• Chill once more for 15 minutes or until hardened.
• To make Peanut Strawberries. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with the chocolate chips, repeat with the white chocolate chips. Insert toothpick into the top of a strawberry. Put peanuts in a bag and smash with rolling pin or cast-iron pan until they are crumbly.
• Coat strawberry entirely in chocolate, alternating between white and dark.
• Dip strawberry, while the chocolate is still warm, into a bowl of nuts.
• Chill once more for 15 minutes or until hardened.
• To make Cookie-Coated Strawberries. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with the chocolate chips, repeat with the white chocolate chips. Insert toothpick into the top of a strawberry. Separate chocolate sandwich cookies in a bag and smash with rolling pin or cast iron pan until they are crumbly.
• Coat strawberry entirely in chocolate, alternating between white and dark.
• Dip strawberry, while the chocolate is still warm, into a bowl of cookie crumbs.
• Chill once more for 15 minutes or until hardened.
• To make Tuxedo Strawberries. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with the chocolate chips, repeat with the white chocolate chips. Insert toothpick into the top of a strawberry.
• Coat strawberries entirely in white chocolate.
• Chill strawberries for about 15 minutes or until hardened.
• To form the tuxedo, dip one side of the white chocolate coated strawberry into dark chocolate at an angle, going to the top of white chocolate coating. Repeat on the other side, leaving a white "V" in the center of the strawberry.
• With a toothpick, draw a bowtie and buttons with remaining melted dark chocolate.
• Chill once more for 15 minutes or until hardened.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Prepare strawberry puree: Mix quartered strawberries and sugar in a 2-cup liquid measure or bowl. Let sit and macerate for 1 hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend into a smooth puree. Pass through a mesh strainer to remove seeds, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Prepare cream mixture: Combine sugar and cream in a saucepan. Set heat to medium-high and bring to a boil while whisking occasionally; be careful, since cream can easily boil over. Once cream just starts to boil, reduce heat to between medium and medium-low and maintain a steady simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in vanilla, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of the reserved strawberry puree until completely incorporated. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the cream is cooling, pour the remaining strawberry puree evenly into 4 dessert glasses.
• Pour the cooled cream mixture into the glasses. Wrap with plastic wrap and pop in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare topping: Toss diced strawberries and sugar together in a small bowl. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill alongside the strawberry dreams.
• When ready to serve, remove strawberry dreams and topping from the refrigerator. Stir the topping and spoon strawberries and any accumulated juices on top of each dream.