Do you love chocolate strawberries ? So do I !
But how long do chocolate strawberries last, and how long can you keep them ?
After all, you can’t eat them all in one sitting, unless you’re willing to share with friends.
This is where knowing how long these treats last comes in handy, especially if you’re planning on serving these to guests. And even so, we all know that when there are a lot of sweets to choose from, usually many of them will be left out. Not that the strawberry chocolate is not good, but they are usually served at big events where are a ton of delicious and good-looking desserts, so there is a big chance that you will have some chocolate strawberries for the next few days.
How long do chocolate strawberries last ?
Strawberries are quickly perishable items, even if covered in chocolate they will last about two days in the fridge. The safest bet is to get fully covered strawberries. This way, none of the fleshy fruit is exposed to the air and it won’t turn bad as quickly.
But even so, you can’t keep these treats for a long time, as you could a piece of chocolate.
So let’s see how long we can keep chocolate strawberries in the three main storage methods.
Read Also:Difference between carob and chocolate
How long do chocolate strawberries last on the counter?
Twenty-four hours is ideal. You could go for a little more, but keep in mind that room temp – about 22 C/71 F – is ideal for bacteria growth.
This means the strawberries will go bad sooner, and it might not even be immediately obvious, due to the chocolate.
So try not to keep them for more than one day if all you’ve got is the kitchen counter.
Also keep in mind that if your home is really warm, the chocolate may start to melt and this will both ruin the presentation, and spoil the strawberries faster.
Make sure to lightly cover the strawberries if you’re keeping them overnight. If you don’t, they might start to dry out and lose some of their texture.
By lightly cover, I mean you could use plastic wrap or even aluminum foil to cover the strawberries, but still give them some air to breathe. Don’t wrap them tightly, but make sure no stray hairs or dust will get on them.
How long do chocolate strawberries in the fridge?
Two to three days is optimal for storing chocolate-covered strawberries in the fridge.
This is the method that seems to work the best, since it really preserves the freshness of the strawberries.
Although you may need to allow them to get up to room temp (about 30 min to an hour) before serving or eating. Especially if they’re covered in dark chocolate, since that tends to get very hard in the fridge.
Unless you don’t mind the slightly crunchy texture of thin, hard chocolate and fresh, soft strawberry. Some folks love it, some don’t.
Keep in mind that if you store the chocolate strawberries in the fridge, they will need to be covered as well.
Loosely covered, as you would cover them on the counter. But make sure there are no smelly or pungent foods in the fridge, because the treats might pick up the flavor.
If you’d like, you can also store them in an airtight container and store that in the fridge. Just keep in mind that strawberries love having lots of room, otherwise they’ll get really ‘sweaty’.
How long do chocolate strawberries in the freezer? (not recommended)
If you’re planning on keeping your chocolate strawberries in the freezer, you can do so but not for very long. They perish faster than pure, frozen strawberries.
Most folks suggest 30-90 days, for several reasons.
First, the strawberries could develop frostbite or freezer burn. It happens to the best of us, but no one likes the texture of foods that have been ruined like that.
Second, the longer you leave strawberries in the fridge, the deeper the freeze. This means that their texture after thawing is going to be mushier that you’d like, and no one likes that either.
Third, when you’re deep-freezing a delicate food item like chocolate strawberries, much of the flavor is lost.
In any case, freezing chocolate strawberries isn’t ideal. If you’re faced with a situation where you have to keep them for a long time, call a friend (or several) and celebrate these treats together.
Important note: when thawing, strawberries get mushy. It’s best to only freeze fully covered chocolate strawberries, so they retain as much of their texture as possible.
If you’re thawing dipped or only partly covered strawberries, know that their texture might be compromised.
How to store chocolate strawberries safely
When storing chocolate strawberries you should take into account several factors, such as:
- where you’re storing
- what the storage temperature is
- how many strawberries you’re storing
- are they fully or partly covered with chocolate
- How long you need to store them for
Lower temperatures like the fridge and freezer make the fats in chocolate (cocoa butter) solidify, meaning they’ll keep their shape and won’t smear all over.
It also means that if the strawberries are touching, they won’t really stick together and it won’t be a problem.
If you’re storing at a warmer temperature, like on the counter or pantry, you risk the chocolate melting a little, at least enough to stick a few together.
You can bypass this by using baking paper. Use the non-stick side, fold it in two so both sides are non-stick. Space the strawberries evenly, cover with baking paper, and repeat with another batch if necessary.
Using plastic wrap for this won’t work, since it’s too thin and flimsy, and will produce condensation.
And using aluminum foil won’t help either, since it’s flimsy as well but also very easy to tear and have pieces stuck in the chocolate.
If you’re storing in the freezer, try and freeze the chocolate strawberries separately, especially if you’re bringing them from a warm place.
Use the baking paper trick, or place them on a serving tray (non-stick) with a bit of space between them, freeze them overnight, them place all of them together in one container.
Be careful when taking them out to thaw, since they will produce condensation and the chocolate may melt a little, which will get them all to stick.
And lastly, if storing for a few hours or just overnight in at room temp, loosely cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil so they can breathe.
There’s no real need to space the strawberries since they probably won’t melt overnight, unless your home is really warm.
Read Also:Can Chocolate Mold?
Final thoughts
Chocolate strawberries are a real treat, and everyone loves them. Getting them as a gift (or giving them) is always nice, and sharing them with friends and family is even better. It’s important to know that they will last about two days in the fridge because this can change your plan a bit, more for getting the better timing to enjoy them while they are still fresh.
I hope you cleared all your questions on how long you can keep chocolate strawberries, and how to store them safely.
