Strawberry Roses and Salted Chocolate Sauce

Salted Chocolate Sauce

1 cup dark chocolate bar chopped (150 g)

3/4 cup cream (175 ml)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp sea salt

1. In a small pot melt the chocolate, cream, and vanilla together on medium-low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.  2. Stir in salt. 3. Serve immediately or alternatively store in an airtight container. Reheat in a pot on medium-low and if the oil separates to the top add a little more cream to bring the sauce back together.  

How to Cut a Strawberry into a Rose

pairing knife

2 punnets of strawberries

bamboo skewers

1. Clean the strawberry and gently dry it with a towel. 2. Carefully pull down the leaves away from the skin and insert a bamboo skewer next to the stem. 3. At the base make four horizontal cuts around each side.  Gently fan the section out with your knife by slightly pulling back to make a petal.  4. Begin a second row behind the first and repeat process, this time make the cuts a little smaller.  *You can make the roses for a bouquet in advance. Just arrange the roses in a vase (I trimmed an inch off some of the skewers to give a more full look to the bouquet).  Put in the refrigerator and cover over top with plastic wrap. Bring out to room temperature before serving.