Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

As promised... (We love our diet....)

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries (our version)

1 ounce 62% cacao Scharffen Berger semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce Lake Champlain dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Dash favorite extract

8 strawberries, washed, pat dry or air dry (or can mess up results) Retain caps for holding

Place chopped chocolate (I use a serrated bread knife, which works like a champ) and whipping cream into a Pyrex measuring cup or bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power, stir, then another 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir in your favorite extract (I recommend vanilla or almond) and let chocolate cool slightly.

Dip each dry strawberry in the chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a piece of parchment paper on a small plate. Refrigerate or freeze for a minimum of 15 minutes to set chocolate.

This serves 2. (Yes--you can make this with Nestles semisweet chips. It will not melt as smoothly, requiring more whipping cream, and will not pop off the parchment or naked plate as smoothly. But in a pinch, it's tasty.)

Like I have said--South Beach Diet is very livable. We were doing this with straight S-B, but my taste buds are changing again, and the last batch tasted burnt to me--so the addition of the Lake Champaign for smoothness.

I am more interested in cooking for allergies. Who knows where this will end?