Chocolate Cherry Creams Food

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put the cherries, 2 tablespoons sugar and the rum in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats a spoon and registers 168 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and the butter and set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the chocolate mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Churn the chilled chocolate mixture in an ice cream maker. Strain the cherry mixture, reserving the syrup. When the ice cream is very thick, add the cherries and continue churning until incorporated. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Drizzle in the reserved cherry syrup and swirl with a spoon. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CREAMS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and milk over low heat.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in powdered sugar, nuts and cherries, mix well.
• Chill until cool enough to handle.
• Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in nuts or coconut.
• Chill at least 4 hours.
• Keep chilled.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CREAM CREPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth; set aside., Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet; pour 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. , Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. Stack crepes with waxed paper between. Cover and freeze 10 crepes for another use. Crepes may be frozen for up to 3 months., Pipe filling onto the center of each remaining crepe. Top with 2 tablespoons pie filling. Fold side edges of crepe to the center. Drizzle with fudge topping and garnish with whipped topping. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CREPES

Steps:

• Cooking aids: 8-inch crepe pan or coated skillet with sauce-pan lid, small sauce pan, medium bowl, plastic spatula, wax paper.
• For the Crepes and Filling: Whisk together eggs, cocoa, flour, sugar, butter and salt. Whisk in milk. Stir until mixture is smooth. Cover; chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat skillet until drops of water spatter.
• While cooking crepes be sure to spray Pam each time so they slide out. Crepes are fragile until cool.
• In sauce pan, melt chocolate and cream over low heat, stirring constantly about five minutes.
• Add pie filling, stir and keep warm as you cook the crepes.
• Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan; immediately swirl the pan so batter completely covers the bottom.
• Cover; cook crepe until center is set, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Loosen edges of crepe; slide crepe from pan onto wax paper. If it sticks, cook a little longer.
• Assembly: Spread the filling into the center of a crepe.
• Fold two sides of the crepe over the filling (like a burrito).
• Repeat with remaining crepes.
• Serve on dessert plate with topping and chocolate syrup.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons of cherry juice from the pot and place in a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove compote from heat and cool completely. Measure out 1 cup for the cupcake batter. Reserve remaining compote, about 6 tablespoons, for the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line or grease two standard 12-cup muffin tins.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the sour cream and cooled coffee; mix until just combined.
• Continue alternating additions of the flour mixture with sour cream and coffee, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup cherry compote. Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare cherry buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cherry compote and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Repeat twice more with remaining cherry compote, beating well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until frosting is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY ICE CREAM TARTUFO

Steps:

• Line 9 x 5 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving 3-inch overhang on all sides. Using small flexible spatula, quickly spread softened cherry vanilla ice cream evenly over bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped almonds, then maraschino cherries over ice cream in bottom of pan. Spread softened chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream over, filling pan completely. Freeze until ice cream is firm, about 1 hour.
• Bring 1 1/2 cups cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates and whisk until smooth. Whisk in both extracts. Cool ganache to room temperature, whisking occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Spread 2/3 cup chocolate ganache over top of ice cream. Freeze until chocolate is very firm, about 2 hours.
• Rewarm chocolate ganache over low heat just until fluid if necessary. Cool to room temperature (mixture will thicken slightly). Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Run small knife around sides of loaf pan to loosen ice cream loaf. Invert loaf onto prepared sheet; peel off plastic wrap. Working quickly and using small flexible spatula, spread 1 cup chocolate ganache over top and sides of ice cream loaf, covering ice cream completely and forming 1/4-inch-thick coating (reserve remaining ganache). Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup chopped almonds over top and sides of chocolate-covered ice cream loaf. Freeze until chocolate is firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover tartufo with plastic wrap and keep frozen. Refrigerate remaining ganache.)
• Add remaining 1/4 cup cream to ganache and rewarm over low heat to use as sauce. Cut tartufo into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half, forming 2 triangles. Place 2 triangles on each plate. Drizzle with warm ganache

DIVINE CHERRY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together cream, milk, sugar, and the juice from the jar of cherries in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Place the egg yolks into a large bowl, then whisk in hot cream, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until you have added 2 cups.
• Whisk the hot yolks into the saucepan of hot cream, then cook on low, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F (75 degrees C). It will have thickened enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into a container, cover, and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours.
• Chop the reserved maraschino cherries, then stir into the cold custard along with almond extract, and chopped chocolate. Pour into ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

CHOCOLATE, CHERRY & CREAM BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat butter, cake mix and 1 egg in large bowl with mixer until crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup crumb mixture; press remaining onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 10 min.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add remaining egg; mix well.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over crust; cover with pie filling. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake 45 min. or until center is set and crumb topping is lightly browned. Cool completely. Refrigerate 30 min.
• Drizzle with chocolates. Garnish with sifted powdered sugar just before serving.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CANDY CREAMS & OTHER STUFF

Steps:

• 1. soften cream cheese in microwave -- don't melt, simply soften -- about 30 seconds
• 2. begin to add powdered sugar by cup fulls -- work into cream cheese until it gets to be like a firm batter -- play dough would be a good example of the consistency you are looking for -- and you will end up having to do it with your hands
• 3. separate the ball into as many different flavors as you would like to make -- I used to make at least 4 or 5 at a time. (Suggested flavors that people liked: vanilla, almond, mint, anise, chocolate, rum, cherry, orange, lemon, etc -- whatever you have in your cupboard or desire to purchase for this project.)
• 4. To Flavor: make a deep thumb print in one of the balls and put in a drop or 2 of coloring and a tsp of flavoring -- begin working the ball with your hands until the color is smoothly distributed -- add more powdered sugar to bring back to workable dough that is not sticky. (I liked the colors to be pastel which I always thought were more appetizing so I never added more than 1 or 2 drops of food coloring -- you may do as much as you want.)
• 5. After each ball is colored and flavored I used to decide on a different shape for each flavor so I could tell which ones were which after they were all coated with chocolate. Such as: tiny balls for one flavor, little squares for another, oblong balls for another, rectangles for another, flattened balls for another, etc.
• 6. Slowly & carefully melt chocolate on low heat on stove top (or in microwave if you are comfortable with that -- I like the stove top because I have more control over the process) -- then dip each ball or shape into the chocolate and place on waxed paper covered cookie sheets. They will harden very quickly. I did not like to get my hands all chocolate covered so I always used a spoon to dip, and roll in the chocolate, then scoop out and place on waxed paper.
• 7. After I had made these over the years, I also began to experiment with chocolate coating things that were already made (I was getting lazy LOL). One of my most favorite things was to chocolate coat gum drops. Candy manufacturers used to make chocolate covered "jellies" which I always loved... but they began to disappear over the years... gum drops were a perfect solution for someone who missed them!!
• 8. I also found that I could chocolate coat dried pineapple, or mix peanuts with the chocolate to make little peanut heaps. We used to make "hay stacks" by dumping those hard canned Chinese noodles into chocolate and making little stacks. My sister used to like a Chunky candy bar and we made our own with peanuts and raisins in chocolate dropped by spoonfulls on waxed paper.
• 9. Other people like to coat pretzels and crackers and cookies... once you get started with chocolate coating things you will find lots of individual and unique ways to make Christmas gifts that your friends will get from no other source. They will be clamoring for your home made creations. Enjoy!