Chocolate Cherries Recipes

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Drain cherries and set on paper towel to dry
• In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary.
• Wrap each cherry in about 1 tsp of dough. Chill until firm.
• In a microwave-safe bowl melt chocolate chips with oil for about 20 seconds at a time (stirring each time) until chocolate is just melted and completely smooth.
• Dip each cherry in by its stem and place on wax paper-lined sheets. Place in an air-tight container (like a large tupperware) and store in a cool place for TWO WEEKS (yes, it is a long time-- but patience... I promise they taste best if you wait until the fondant softens)!

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
• In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.
• Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pat cherries dry with paper towels; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt; mix well. Knead until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Roll into 1/2-in. balls; flatten each into a 2-in. circle. Wrap each circle around a cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place cherries with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 1 hour., In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding onto the stem, dip each cherry into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Refrigerate until hardened. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate for 1-2 weeks before serving.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk and extract. Knead until smooth and pliable. Shape into 1-in. balls and flatten each into a 2-in. circle. , Wrap one circle around each cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. , In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding on to the stems, dip cherries into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate 1-2 weeks before serving.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pat cherries dry with paper towels.
• Melt chocolates separately in stainless steel bowl set over pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.
• Holding stem of cherry, dip cherry into melted chocolate to coat. You can coat half of cherry in white chocolate and half in semisweet chocolate, if desired. Transfer chocolate-dipped cherry to prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cherries and melted chocolate.
• Refrigerate for about 40 minutes, or until set.

CHOCOLATE COVERED DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Place the dried cherries in a coating pan attached to a stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Using a ladle, add the chocolate to the spinning cherries. Add one ladleful at a time until the cherries are coated to the desired thickness. (Use a 50/50 ratio (50 percent chocolate, 50 percent weight of the cherries.) If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate and vice versa.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch in a medium pot. Add cherries and any juices. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan. Butter parchment.
• Whisk cocoa with hot water in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and melted chocolate; let cool. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 2/3 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cherry filling; reserve remaining filling for topping.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove cake from pan.
• Transfer cake to a serving platter. In a small saucepan over low, heat gelatin and 2 tablespoons water over low, stirring constantly, just until gelatin melts, about 3 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high. Once soft peaks form, slowly add gelatin mixture with the mixer running until combined. Frost top of cooled cake and top with remaining cherry filling.

CHOCOLATE CHERRIES JUBILEE

Steps:

• Melt preserves in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Mix in cinnamon and Cognac.
• Scoop ice cream into bowls. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with almonds.

EASY CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Drain juice from cherries, set cherries aside until ready to use. To make fondant: Using a electric mixer at medium speed beat together butter, corn syrup and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add salt and 3 cups of the sugar, mixing well. When mixture becomes too stiff to beat, stir with spoon. Add 1/2 - 1 cup of sugar to make a mixture that can be kneaded. Form mixture into 10" roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate roll until firm.
• Cut roll into 1" slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Flatten each piece in palm of hand; place cherry in center. Fold up fondant around cherry until it is completely covered. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Chill until firm.
• Melt milk chocolate in the top of double boiler over hot water. Cool slightly. Holding each fondant-covered cherry by the stem, quickly dip it in the melted chocolate until the fondant is covered. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until chocolate sets. Store in air-tight container in the refrigerate. Make 40-50 cherries, depending on the size of the cherries.

CHERRIES WITH CHOCOLATE IN RICOTTA

Steps:

• Whip ricotta with kirsch and powdered sugar to lighten. Fold in chocolate and cherries. Add more kirsch and sugar if needed. (If time allows, chill at least 15 minutes.) Divide among 4 shallow serving bowls. Dust lightly with cocoa, and garnish with almonds.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES III

Steps:

• Using a double boiler, heat the chocolate until melted. Stir in milk, using enough to make the chocolate smooth.
• Holding the cherries by their stems, dip them one by one into the chocolate mixture.
• Place the coated cherries on wax paper until the chocolate has dried.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and cocoa; set aside.
• Beat butter in a med bowl on med speed until softened.
• Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Beat until well mixed.
• Beat in egg and vanilla, scraping the side of the bowl.
• Gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2-inches apart on an ungreased cooking sheet.
• Press down the centers with your thumb.
• Drain cherries, reserving juice.
• Place a cherry in the center of each cookie in the depression you made with your thumb.
• Combine chocolate pieces and condensed milk in a small saucepan.
• Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted.
• Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate and milk mixture over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
• If the frosting is too thick, thin with additional cherry juice.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until edges of cookie is firm.
• Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.
• Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.