Maraschino Cherry And Almond Truffles Recipes

MARASCHINO CHERRY AND ALMOND TRUFFLES

Steps:

• To make the cherry ganache, bring 50ml/2fl oz water, the golden syrup, cherry syrup and the lemon juice to a simmer in a saucepan.
• Place the chocolate in a bowl, pour the syrup over and whisk well until very smooth and glossy. Leave to cool. Line a tray with baking paper.
• Decant the ganache to a piping bag and pipe some into the centre of each cherry to fill the hole where the cherry stone had been. Place the cherries on the prepared tray and leave to set in the fridge for an hour.
• To coat the cherries, divide the almond paste into 24 pieces, flatten each piece and wrap it around each cherry making sure that there are no cracks. The cherry should be fully coated. Leave the cherries to dry overnight uncovered at room temperature.
• Melt the broken pieces of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until it reaches 55C (make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Remove from the heat and add the finely chopped chocolate. Mix until smooth and glossy.
• Check that the chocolate is less than 30C, then dip each cherry into the chocolate using a chocolate dipping fork, (or alternatively a normal kitchen fork) and tap off the excess.
• Place on kitchen paper to set which should take only a couple of minutes.
• Decorate each cherry with a piece of gold leaf or edible gold sparkle powder.
• Eat the chocolate cherries within one month of making and store at cool room temperature. Keep away from direct heat and strong odours.

CHERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with oil.
• In a bowl, using a fork, stir flour with 1/2 cup icing sugar; using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 1 cup of butter until coarse crumbs form.
• OR.
• Whirl flour with icing sugar in food processor until mixed. Add butter, pulse until coarse crumbs form.
• Press mixture over bottom of baking dish.
• Bake in centre of oven until light golden around the edges, 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, put beaten eggs then stir in brown sugar.
• Gradually stir in flour mixture, then add almonds and cherries.
• Spread over warm base.
• Bake in centre of oven until filling is set, 25 - 30 minutes.
• To prepare topping - in a small bowl, using an electric beater, beat cherry juice with 3 tblsp butter and almond extract.
• Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until fluffy.
• Cover and set aside. Cool bars, then spread icing evenly over top.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.
• Store in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
• Note: if you use the cherry juice for the frosting it will be a nice pink colour!