Choco Faberries, Burbank, CA
Happy National Strawberry Day! If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably come across the latest viral dessert trend: chocolate-covered strawberries, aka chocolate strawberry cups. These viral treats are simple to make, delicious, and visually appealing. They can be made with ingredients that you already have at your froyo shop.
Let’s dive into what chocolate covered strawberries are, where the trend originated, how to make them, and how froyo shops can add them to their menus.
What Are Chocolate Covered Strawberries?
Chocolate covered strawberries are made by combining fresh, ripe whole strawberries with rich, melted Belgian chocolate. The strawberries are placed in a cup, and then topped with a generous pour of melted chocolate.
Where Did the Trend Originate? And How Did It Evolve?
The trend of chocolate covered strawberries originated in London, specifically at a greengrocer stall called Turnips at Borough Market. The strawberries are served in clear plastic cups and covered in warm chocolate sauce dispensed from a chocolate fountain.
Thanks to social media, the queue at Turnips has become quite a spectacle, and people worldwide were trying their hand at making their own versions at home. New businesses specializing in chocolate covered strawberries, like Strawberro in NYC, Choco Frutti in Seattle, and Choco Faberries in Burbank, CA, have opened. Existing businesses have also started offering chocolate-covered strawberry cups. For example, Anita Gelato just launched two new dessert cups, Snowberry and Greenberry. Snowberry features strawberries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. Greenberry is made with chocolate sauce, pistachio cream, strawberries, pistachios, and shredded fillo dough.
The Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup combines two viral trends, Dubai chocolate bars and chocolate strawberry cups, by adding pistachio sauce and kataifi shredded fillo dough. It has also gone viral.
There are also different variations with other types of fruit (e.g., grapes, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, cherries), other sauces (e.g., pistachio, Nutella, white chocolate, dark chocolate, nut butters), and toppings.
Adding Chocolate Strawberry Cups to Froyo Shop Menus
Froyo shops can easily incorporate chocolate strawberry cups into their menus to capitalize on this viral trend. Here’s how:
- Create a Special Menu Item: Feature chocolate covered strawberries as a limited-time offer or a seasonal special when strawberries are in season in your area. Get creative and combine chocolate covered strawberries with froyo. Vary the toppings to pair with the froyo flavor. This can attract customers who are eager to try the latest trend. We recommend adding the froyo on the bottom, so that it doesn’t freeze the fresh strawberries.
- Offer Customization: Allow customers to customize their chocolate strawberry cups with different types of chocolate, and additional toppings like nuts, sprinkles, cookies, candy, whipped cream, and rich sauces.
- Promote on Social Media: Use social media platforms to showcase your new menu item. Share mouth-watering photos and videos of the chocolate covered strawberries being made and enjoyed by customers. We recommend serving the berries in clear cups for greater visual appeal.
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Cups
Making the basic chocolate strawberry cups is incredibly easy, even easier than making chocolate dipped strawberries. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
- Fresh strawberries
- Your favorite type of high-quality chocolate (milk, dark, or white)
- Optional: a splash of milk to keep the chocolate smooth
Instructions:
- Prepare the Strawberries: Wash and cut the tops off the strawberries or dice, if desired. Dry the strawberries by patting gently with paper towels.
- Melt the Chocolate: Place your chocolate in a bowl and melt it using a double boiler or microwave. If you’re using a microwave, heat the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted. Adding a splash of milk can help keep the chocolate smooth and prevent it from hardening too quickly.
- Assemble the Cups: Place the strawberries in a cup or small bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over the strawberries, ensuring they are well-coated.
- Enjoy: Grab a fork and dig in! You can also refrigerate the cups for a few minutes to let the chocolate set if you prefer a firmer texture.
By adding chocolate covered strawberries to their menus, froyo shops can tap into the viral trend and offer their customers a delicious and trendy treat.
