Chocolate Cherry Blossoms Food

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.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food color; blend well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour and salt; mix well.
• Stir in cherries.
• If dough is too dry, add a little more cherry liquid until dough holds together when shaped.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are just slightly brown.
• Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate candy, pressing down firmly.
• Remove from cookie sheets and cool.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Place unsweetened chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Add butter; stir until butter is melted. Cool 10 minutes.
• Combine melted chocolate mixture, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 3/4 cups of flour, eggs and baking powder in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add remaining 3/4 cup of flour and dried cherries. Continue beating just until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm. [1 hour].
• Heat oven to 300. Place 1/3 cup of sugar in small bowl. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until top is cracked and set.
• Immediately press 1 cherry chocolate kiss into each cookie. Remove to cool racks. Cool completely or until chocolate is set. [about 1 hour]. Store between sheets of waxed paper in container with tight-fitting lid for up to 5 days.

CANDY CANE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Remove wrappers from candies.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended.
• Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar or a combination of any of the sugars.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookie is set. Remove from oven.
• Press a candy piece into center of each cookie.
• Cool completely.

CHOCOLATE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and cocoa until smooth. Beat in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into the chocolate mixture to form a dough. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar. Place cookies 3 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops of the cookies have cracked. remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.