Advice | How To Make Chocolate-Covered Edibles

Have you ever had a craving for chocolate, but wanted something maybe a bit more healthy or filling?

I myself am a chocoholic, but sometimes I find it needs something... more. So I get out my cooking chocolate and pick a fruit or vegetable I like. Coating something in chocolate can be tricky, but I'll try to explain as simply as I can in 7 steps.

What's needed?
There isn't actually much required for this recipe, which is a plus, and also means less washing up!

• A bowl/some type of microwavable container
• A plate big enough to fit your fruit/vegetable on easily
• A spoon (the smaller the better - try a teaspoon)
• A peeler and/or knife (but only if your fruit/vegetable has an inedible skin)
• A roll of cling-film (enough to cover your plate completely)
• A bar of cooking chocolate (preferably milk)
• A fruit/vegetable of your choosing (I'm experimenting with a carrot, kiwi and banana because I'm weird)

Afterthought: Sometimes classics are classic for a reason. Apples will work the best with this recipe.

What's the method?
The actual making process shouldn't take too long, but if you've never done this before then try not to rush!

1. Cover your plate with the cling-film - this way the chocolate won't stick to the plate, which will still be clean when your finished, and will also make picking up the finished chocolatey treat easier
2. Use the peeler or knife to get rid of any unwanted skin or areas on your fruit/vegetable
   

   Tip: If you are covering more than one fruit/vegetable, do this recipe one at a time and leave things like bananas last - this way it won't go black so quickly!

3. Break off some cubes of chocolate and put them in the bowl - I would suggest about five cubes for larger foods (like apples, bananas or carrots) and three cubes for smaller foods (like kiwis)
4. Microwave the chocolate cubes for about 30 seconds then use the spoon to move the cubes around - this will help to spread and melt them a little better
   

   Tip: You could alternatively use a hob to melt the chocolate - fill a saucepan with boiling water and balance the bowl of chocolate cubes on top with a gap between the water level and the top bowl!

5. Repeat step 4 until all of your chocolate cubes have melted to liquid - though you will probably only need to repeat step 4 once
6. Use the spoon to cover your fruit/vegetable in the melted chocolate - you could do this by first holding it above the bowl and covering one side and then putting it on the plate (covered side down) to cover the rest
   

   Tip: For delicate foods like bananas, don't try to hold it by one end as it will break - dipping it into the chocolate and then putting it on the plate is recommended if possible.

7. After using any leftover liquefied chocolate to throroughly cover the fruit/vegetable, refrigerate the plate of chocolate covered edibles for roughly four hours undisturbed

I hope you enjoy your chocolatey treat and that it satisfies your cravings! If you were curious, I found that chocolate and carrot isn't a good mix (should have expected this really... silly me) and that chocolate-covered kiwi is tasty yet too watery to work well. Bananas hold out pretty okay but I don't like them - too squishy. *Bleh!* Overall, apples are the perfect food to cover in chocolatey goodness.