Fondant For 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)!

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.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Drain cherries well; let stand on paper toweling.
• Make fondant: Combine butter or margarine, corn syrup and salt; stir in powdered sugar.
• Knead until smooth.
• Chill if too soft.
• Shape a teaspoon of the fondant around each cherry.
• Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet; chill.
• In small heavy saucepan or deep bowl over pan of hot water, melt chocolate coating, stirring constantly.
• Holding onto stems, dip fondant-covered cherries, one at a time, into melted chocolate.
• Spoon mixture over cherries to coat.
• Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
• Place in refrigerator to harden.
• Store in covered container in cool place.
• Let ripen a week or two and fondant will begin to liquefy.
• Makes 60 chocolate-covered cherries.

FONDANT (FOR CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES)

Steps:

• 1. Combine ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves; boil; cover and boil 3 minutes; uncover; wipe sides and cook until soft ball stage. Pour on platter rinsed in cold water. Cool until you can handle with hands. Knead until creamy, stiff and free from lumps. (It may appear to have sugared, continue to knead until smooth.)
• 2. Store in refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain maraschino cherries, place small balls of fondant inside cherries. (Cherries with fondant will dip better if placed in freezer for a short time.)
• 3. Melt dipping chocolate in double boiler along with the paraffin wax. Use fork to dip cherries in the chocolate, place on a waxed paper and cool until set.
• 4. NOTE: Fondant can also be flavored with maple, lemon, or orange flavorings; roll in a ball and dipped in chocolate for nuggets.

BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• 1. Start by making a fondant - simply combine the first five ingredients until smooth and not sticky. Chill in fridge for an hour.
• 2. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and spread cherries out in a single layer - stems on, if possible. Freeze for an hour.
• 3. When ready to make your chocolate covered cherries, remove fondant and cherries from the fridge/freezer. Since it takes a bit of time to make these, I remove only a few cherries and a bit of fondant at a time so that they don't get too warm and sticky.
• 4. Wrap each cherry in 1-2 teaspoons of the fondant, forming a tight ball. Return cherries to tray and freeze again for an hour.
• 5. Use either the microwave or a double-boiler to melt your chocolate. Thin it down with enough reserved cherry juice to get the proper consistency for dipping.
• 6. Removing a few fondant-wrapped cherries from the freezer at a time, dip them in the chocolate and coat completely. Since my cherries didn't have stems, I did follow the tip of using a toothpick to aid in the dipping process. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then put the cherry on wax paper to rest. Dab a bit of extra chocolate on top to cover any hole left from the toothpick.
• 7. When done, place dipped cherries in the fridge to set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge as well. If you let them be for a few days, the center with be nice and liquidy... but they're good right away too!