Chocolate Drenched Fruit

• 2 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 pound red seedless grapes, stemmed, washed and dried
• 3/4 pound dried pineapple slices
• 3/4 pound dried peach halves
• 3/4 pound dried pear halves
• 2 pints strawberries with stems, lightly rinsed and dried

1. Heat 1- inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.
2. Place 1 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.
3. Tightly cover the top with plastic wrap.
4. Allow to heat for 12 minutes.
5. remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing the plastic wrap.
6. Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir until smooth, and continue to stir until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Place the grapes in a stainless steel bowl.
9. Pour the melted chocolate over the grapes.
10. Use a fork to transfer the chocolate-drenched grapes, one at a time, onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
11. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched grapes for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened.
12. Transfer the grapes to the center of a large serving platter and refrigerate.
13. Heat 1- inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.
14. Place 1 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.
15. Tightly cover with plastic wrap.
16. Allow to heat for 12 minutes.
17. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing the plastic wrap.
18. Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir the chocolate until smooth, and continue to stir until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees.
19. One at a time, dip 3/4 to 1-inch of each dried fruit into the melted chocolate.
20. Allow excess chocolate to drip into the top half of the double boiler before placing the drenched fruit onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
21. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched fruit for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened.
22. Transfer the chocolate-covered fruit to the large serving platter, arrange the fruit near the outside edge of the platter, and return to the refrigerator.
23. Place 1/2 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.
24. Proceed as in above method.
25. Holding the strawberries by the stem end, dip 3/4 to 1-inch of each berry, one at a time, into the melted chocolate.
26. Allow excess chocolate to drip into the bowl before placing the drenched strawberries onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
27. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched berries for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened.
28. Transfer the chocolate-covered berries to the serving platter, placing them in between the grapes and the dried fruit, and return to the refrigerator.
29. Keep the drenched fruit refrigerated until 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

semisweet chocolate, grapes, pineapple, peach halves, pear halves, pints strawberries

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-drenched-fruit-recipe.html (may not work)