📋 Instructions

1. 1Wash and Dry Berries — Rinse 680 g (24 medium) strawberries and pat each one dry with paper towels. Leave them uncovered for 10 minutes (residual moisture makes chocolate seize and streak). The skins must feel completely dry to the touch before you proceed.
2. 2Line a Tray — Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it beside your work area (a cold tray helps the shells set fast). The paper should lie flat with no curls at the edges.
3. 3Melt the Chocolate — Melt 340 g (12 oz) white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water at 82 C (180 F), stirring constantly for 6 to 8 minutes. Pull the bowl off when the chocolate reads 43 to 45 C (110 to 113 F) on a thermometer and is smooth with no lumps (above 46 C or 115 F the white chocolate scorches and turns grainy).
4. 4Thin If Needed — Stir in 5 g (1 tsp) vegetable shortening if the coating falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. Stop when it drips in a thin, steady stream (a fluid coating gives a thin shell). Skip this step if the chocolate already flows freely.
5. 5Dip the Strawberries — Hold each berry by the stem and dip it into the chocolate, leaving the top third of the berry bare. Lift and tap your wrist twice against the bowl rim (this sheds the excess so the ghost has a clean tail). The coating should look even and glossy, not pooled.
6. 6Add the Eyes — Press two mini chocolate chips into each coated berry, about 8 mm apart, within 30 seconds of dipping. Work while the shell is still tacky (once it dulls, the chips will not stick). Two chips per ghost, 48 total.
7. 7Chill to Set — Set the ghosts on the parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes at 4 C (40 F). They are done when the shell is matte and firm and releases cleanly from the paper (a glossy patch means it needs more time).
8. 8Serve or Store — Serve the ghosts the same day, stem-side up, on a chilled platter. Return any leftovers to the refrigerator within 1 hour (the berry softens quickly at room temperature).