Chocolate Dipped Cherries 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.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED BING CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pour the sugar into a shallow dish. Drop two drops of vanilla at a time into the dish in 24 separate places to form lumps of vanilla sugar. Set aside to allow the lumps to harden.
• Pit the cherries carefully from the bottom. I use a small curved dental tool. Make sure the stem stays intact.
• When the lumps of sugar have hardened, insert them into the cherries where the pits were; set aside. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
• Hold cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate leaving the very top uncovered. Set on waxed paper to dry. Refrigerate overnight to allow the sugar lumps to dissolve.

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-DIPPED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Finely chop 1/2 pound dark chocolate. Combine three-quarters of the chocolate and 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is melted; stir in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Dip 1 pound fresh cherries in the chocolate by the stems and set on parchment paper. Let harden at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over water. Holding cherry stem, dip 1 cherry halfway into chocolate. Place cherry, chocolate side down, on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining cherries and chocolate. Chill until chocolate is firm, at least 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

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.

DOUBLE DIPPED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHERRIES

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper and place in the freezer.
• Place washed and dried maraschino cherries in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a medium stainless steel bowl placed over a small pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and coconut oil until melted and completely smooth. Remove bowl from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 3-5 minutes.
• Remove parchment lined cookie sheet from the freezer and set on your work surface. Hold a maraschino cherry by the stem and dip, submerging cherry completely into the melted chocolate mixture. Lift the cherry from the melted chocolate and allow the excess to drain completely back into the bowl. Place the cherry on the cold parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining maraschino cherries.
• Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the chocolate has set, about 7-10 minutes. While chocolate sets, make the caramel mixture.
• Melt the caramel: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels. Once melted, add heavy cream and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a zip sandwich bag, cutting a small hole in one corner.
• Remove cherries from the freezer. Hold a maraschino cherry by the stem and dip, submerging cherry completely into the melted chocolate mixture. Lift the cherry from the melted chocolate and allow the excess to drain completely back into the bowl. Place the cherry on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining maraschino cherries. Place the cherries on the parchment lined cookie sheet and place back in the freezer to set, another 7-10 minutes.
• Once the chocolate has set, to secure the cherries on to a serving platter, pipe a dab of caramel to the plate then place the cherry on top. Then pipe mounds of caramel right above the stems of every other cherry.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHERRIES WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the pistachios in a shallow bowl and set aside. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds; stir until the chocolate melts completely.
• Holding by the stem, dip the bottom of a cherry in the chocolate mixture, lightly shake off excess chocolate, and dip the cherry in the chopped pistachios.
• Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with remaining cherries, refrigerate for 10 minutes, and store in a cool, dry place. Cherries will keep for several hours. Enjoy!

DARK CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Dip the bottoms of cherries in chocolate. Let excess drip off.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes.

CHERRY-FUDGE BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE AND CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Press preserves through fine strainer into heavy medium saucepan. Add cream and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before serving.)
• Make brownies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11 x 7-inch metal baking pan. Stir chopped chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl until blended; whisk in chocolate mixture. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt; stir to blend. Mix in dried cherries and chocolate chips, then preserves. Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs still attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
• Cut brownies into 8 rectangles. Cut rectangles diagonally in half, forming triangles. Spoon warm sauce onto 8 plates. Place 2 brownie triangles atop sauce on each plate. Sift powdered sugar over. Garnish with chocolate-dipped cherries.

ELEGANT DIPPED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pat cherries dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, corn syrup, unsweetened chocolate and cream. Stir in confectioners' sugar., Knead until smooth. Roll into 18 balls; flatten each into a 2-in. circle. Wrap each circle around a cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place cherries, stem side up, in a shallow waxed paper-lined container. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours., The day before serving, remove the cherries from freezer. In a microwave, melt white baking chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening; stir until smooth., Holding onto the stem, dip each cherry into white baking chips, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. , Melt chocolate chips and remaining shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over candies. Refrigerate until firm. Store candies in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the dry ingredients first: whisking together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, lemon zest and butter until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporation and scraping down the sides in between.
• Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended, then stir in the cherries and (optional) pistachios.
• Form the dough into 12" long x 3" wide logs on the parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until light golden. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut diagonally, 1/2"-3/4" slices. Lay the slices on the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes, or until they are a pale golden color. While they are cooking, get a pot of water boiling for your double boiler. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the chocolate chips in a small pot set over the pot of simmering water. Stir constantly to avoid burning the chocolate. When the chocolate is completely melted, dip the ends of the biscotti in and set them on a parchment sheet to set. Place all the biscotti in the refrigerator for about a half hour, until the chocolate firms up.
• They can be made ahead, or frozen for up to 3 weeks.