Cordial Cherries Food

CHERRY CORDIALS

Steps:

• Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Place the cherries back in the jar and pour the Kirschwasser over the cherries. Close the jar and set it aside for at least 12 hours, or overnight.
• Have a food processor set up near the stove. Combine the sugar, reserved maraschino cherry liquid, water and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Do not stir the syrup once it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium high. Dip a pastry brush in water to clean any splatters from the inside of the pan. Place a candy or probe thermometer into the syrup and boil until the temperature reaches 240°F.
• Remove the pot from the heat and immediately pour the syrup into the food processor. Rinse the thermometer to remove any sugar crystals and set the thermometer into the syrup. Do not disturb the syrup as it cools.
• Allow the syrup to cool to 120°F. Remove the thermometer. Process the syrup for 3-4 minutes until it thickens and becomes opaque.
• Pour the fondant into a microwave safe container. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of water over the fondant to cover the surface. This will prevent it from forming a crust. Cover the container and set aside for several hours or overnight.
• Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Drain the cherries and blot them dry with paper towels.
• Warm the fondant in 20 second increments until it is a little warmer than body temperature and loosens up enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon. Don't let the fondant get warmer than 160°F or you'll loose the crystals.
• Use the stem to lift a cherry and dip it into the fondant, covering the cherry up to the stem. Hold the cherry over the bowl to allow the excess fondant to drip back into the bowl. Set the cherry onto one of the lined sheet pans. Continue dipping all the cherries. You may need to rewarm the fondant if it becomes too thick to dip. You can sprinkle a few drops of water to loosen up the fondant if needed. Don't add too much water or the fondant won't stick to the cherries. Set the cherries aside to dry while you temper the chocolate. Visit this post to see how to temper chocolate.
• Lift a cherry by the stem and dip it into the chocolate, covering all the fondant and going a little up the base of the stem. Hold the cherry over the bowl to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.
• Set the cherry onto the other lined sheet pan. Continue dipping all the cherries. Allow the chocolate set completely before packing the cherries into a covered container. Store at room temperature. The fondant layer needs a couple of days to melt and become the cordial syrup. Wait at least 2 days before serving

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CORDIALS RECIPE

Steps:

• Place cherries in small bowl with liquor. Cover and rest overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Place cherries on paper towel-lined pan to dry, standing each cherry upright. In small saucepan, combine sugar, water, cherry juice, and light corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. When mixture comes to boil, stop stirring and continue to cook until mixture registers 240°F (116°C) on instant-read thermometer, occasionally brushing edge of pan with water to dissolve crystals.
• Pour sugar syrup onto large marble slab or rimmed baking sheet set over a towel, and let cool until just barely warm, about 25 minutes. Using a bench scraper, scrape syrup up and over itself. Continue this motion while moving mass of thickened syrup back and forth across pan. Syrup will begin to thicken as it cools. Use an offset spatula to scrape syrup from bench scraper. Continue working fondant until mixture begins to turn from translucent to opaque, about 15 minutes.
• Continue to work mixture back and forth across marble until it begins to thicken considerably, to the point of becoming a thick paste, about 15 minutes more. Transfer fondant to a small saucepan and set over low heat, stirring until just melted. Remove from heat.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Holding cherry by the stem, dip in fondant to coat, and set on prepared baking sheet. Remelt fondant if it thickens before cherries are finished dipping. Let fondant dry onto cherries, about 10 minutes.
• Place chocolate in heatproof bowl set over pan of barely simmering water. Stirring gently, heat until about half of chocolate is melted. Remove bowl from heat and continue to stir chocolate until completely melted.
• One by one, dip fondant-covered cherries in chocolate, covering completely and then allowing excess chocolate to drip from cherry. Set each cherry back on parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill at least 48 hours before serving.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• The day before you want to make the chocolate-covered cherries, drain the cherries from their soaking liquid and reserve 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Pat the cherries dry between sheets of paper towels and let them sit on a wire rack overnight to dry.
• The next day, prepare the fondant filling. In the large bowl of a stand mixer , combine the butter, corn syrup, reserved cherry liquid, almond extract, and liquid invertase, and beat until combined. It is okay if the butter separates at this point-it will all come together soon.
• Stop the mixer and add the confectioners' sugar to the bowl, then mix on low speed until the candy comes together in a ball around the mixing paddle.
• Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated, and check the texture of the candy: it should be quite soft, but not so sticky that you cannot handle it.
• If necessary, add a little more confectioners' sugar to make it workable, but remember: the softer it is, the sooner it will liquefy.
• Use a small candy scoop or a teaspoon to form a quarter-sized ball of fondant, and roll it in your hands to get it round. Flatten the ball between your palms, and place a cherry in the center of the fondant.
• Bring together the outer edges and pinch the fondant together at the top where the stem extends from the cherry. Make sure the cherry is covered completely, then roll it between your palms to smooth out any seams or wrinkles and get it round.
• Place the cherry on a waxed paper-covered baking sheet , then repeat with the remaining cherries until they are all covered with fondant. Refrigerate the tray until the fondant feels firm, at least 30 minutes.
• While you are waiting for the fondant to firm up, melt the chocolate candy melts over medium heat in a double boiler.
• When the fondant is firm, begin the dipping process. Holding a cherry by the stem, dip just the bottom in the chocolate, coming about 1/4-inch up the sides of the cherry. Place the cherry back on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cherries.
• By the time you have finished dipping the bottom of the last cherry, the first cherry will probably be set and ready to be fully dipped. (If not, refrigerate the tray briefly to set the chocolate bottoms.) Hold a cherry by the stem and drag it through the chocolate, coating it completely. Be sure that there is absolutely no fondant showing through. When it is fully covered with chocolate, let the excess drip over the bowl, then gently drag the bottom edge over the lip of the bowl to remove any excess. Replace the cherry on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cherries.
• Set cherries aside at room temperature for 2 to 3 days to allow the centers to begin to liquify. (Cold temperatures will slow down the invertase's work). Test the liquid centers after 2 to 3 days, and continue to monitor their progress via the occasional taste test until the centers have completely liquified.

SOUR-CHERRY CORDIALS

Steps:

• Bring cherries, sugar, wine, lemon juice, and salt to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook for 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cherries to a bowl. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook until mixture is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Return cherries to syrup. (Cherries in syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month.)
• Fill 8 glasses with ice. Pour 2 tablespoons gin and 2 tablespoons syrup into each glass, and add 5 cherries. Divide seltzer among glasses (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons each). Garnish with fresh cherries and lemon zest strips, if desired. Serve immediately.

CHERRY CORDIALS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till soft and fluffy.
• Blend in milk and flavorings.
• Shape mixture into half-inch balls and press a cherry (MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT WET) into center of each ball or mold mixture around each cherry.
• Place on wax paper and refrigerate till ready to dip in chocolate.
• • To Dip: Melt parafin and chocolate chips and dip.