Chocolate dipped strawberries: 3 things to know about Glacier Chocolate's Valentine's treat

Valentine's Day at Glacier Chocolate means the return of its popular chocolate-dipped strawberries.

The Tulsa chocolate business only sells them around Valentine's Day because the long-stem strawberries they buy are seasonal and the process to make them is time consuming. Owner, Katie Hutto, said this year it is also more expensive as the price of cocoa has risen significantly. "There are shortages all over the world and it has definitely affected us," she said. "Our chocolate costs have risen over two to three times what they were just a year ago."

Here are 3 things to know about the sweet treat.

Hand-dipped to perfection

The shop's chocolatiers go one by one and hand dip each strawberry in Glacier Chocolate's signature chocolate.

The key to getting the chocolate just right is tempering it, a process that involves slowly heating and then cooling chocolate to give it that smooth finish.

Head chocolatier Rosi Martinez enjoys the dipping process. "I am giving the strawberries a little shake, then I am doing a little twist, and then just putting them on the tray," she said.

After the chocolate hardens, they add a drizzle that gives the strawberries their signature look. "We do a pink drizzle which is actually just white chocolate and we put pink cocoa butter in there to give it the color," said Martinez.

Available in three flavors

Glacier Chocolate's chocolate-dipped strawberries are available in three different flavors: milk, dark, and white chocolate.

The strawberries come in a heart-shaped box that can be customized to include all three. The box comes with nine chocolate-dipped strawberries inside and is wrapped in a bow. Martinez said, "It makes the customers happy and it is just the perfect gift for Valentine's Day."

The shop also sells gift sets, pre-packaged, and custom boxes of truffles and new this year is heart shaped turtles and the amber chocolate bar.

"We have created this amazing chocolate bar and we actually poured it into a heart shaped mold, but it is amber chocolate, with rice krispie treats, and strawberries mixed in," said Hutto.

Secure your box

The chocolate-dipped strawberries are available for pre-order, so customers do not have to wait until Valentine's Day to get them. Hutto said, "We just have an amazing team that all comes together and we just make sure that we have more than enough so we can take care of everyone."

To secure a box the shop recommends calling or dropping by the nearest Glacier Chocolate location.

The business has two locations in Tulsa at 1902 Utica Square and 10051 S Yale Ave. To contact the Utica Square store call 539-424-5992. The other location can be reached by calling 918-701-3786.

Payment is required at the time of order. Pick-up is available while supplies last.