Serving chocolate-covered strawberries always seems like a fancy way to treat your family and guests. It is simple but elegant, healthy (but not really), beautiful and easy. But you need to know how long they can last if you don't eat them right away. Maybe you want to make them a few days ahead of time, or save them after one party for another.
Refrigeration
If you plan on storing your chocolate-covered strawberries in the refrigerator, there are a couple of things to consider. Since the strawberries are giving off carbon dioxide, moisture will condense around the chocolate or on the container they are stored in. Before placing them in the container, lay a paper towel down on the bottom of the container, sprinkle a little baking soda and then place the plate of chocolate-covered strawberries on top. Cover and refrigerate. Freshly dipped strawberries should last almost a week with this method.
Room Temperature
Cover the chocolate-covered strawberries lightly at room temperature. They will need to be covered, but not in an airtight container. Since the strawberries are fresh, they will decompose more quickly than if refrigerated, but they will retain their full flavor better than if kept in the refrigerator. Expect them to last 2 days, maybe 3 if they were really fresh. They will get a little limp, but should still hold their shape.
Frozen
If you are planning on freezing your chocolate-covered strawberries, you will need to make sure they are totally covered in chocolate. When the strawberry freezes, some of the cell structure ruptures, releasing juices. These juices will need to be held on the inside of the chocolate casing. Freeze them on a flat sheet, separate from each other until they are rock hard. Place them in a freezer container. At this stage they can be held indefinitely, depending on how cold your freezer gets. Generally, 3 months is the recommended time. Thaw them by placing them on a flat sheet so that they are not touching anything, at room temperature. Eat them the same day, and expect them to be juicier than fresh strawberries.
Considerations
There will be a bigger difference in storage time if you are using fully ripe strawberries at the peak of their flavor. These will really need to be eaten the same day or within twenty-four hours, or frozen immediately using the method explained above. On the other hand, if you are using strawberries that are firm and slightly under-ripe, they will last a couple of days longer at room temperature or under refrigeration.
Expert Advise
If you are formulating your own dipping chocolate and are planning on saving them for a few days in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer, add a little shortening to the chocolate. It will prevent the chocolate from "blooming"--the grayish moldy look that chocolate gets when refrigerated or frozen.
