Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries Food

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, milk and extract; mix well.
• Knead into a large ball.
• Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten each into a 2-inch circle.
• Wrap around cherries and lightly roll in hands.
• Place with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
• Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl.
• Holding on to stem, dip cherries into chocolate; set on waxed paper to harden.
• Store in a covered container.
• Refrigerate 1-2 weeks before serving.
• Yield: about 3 dozen.

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.

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.

CHOCOLATE COVERED DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Place the dried cherries in a coating pan attached to a stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Using a ladle, add the chocolate to the spinning cherries. Add one ladleful at a time until the cherries are coated to the desired thickness. (Use a 50/50 ratio (50 percent chocolate, 50 percent weight of the cherries.) If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate and vice versa.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

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 chocolate 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 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 COVERED CHERRIES - SIMPLE STYLE

Steps:

• Cream butter and beat in marshmallow creme and salt.
• Add powdered sugar.
• Turn and kneed until mixed thoroughly.
• Refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours .
• De-stem, drain and dry the cherries.
• Cover each individual cherry with some of the marshmallow mixture until completely covered and freeze solid. (usually about an hour).
• Melt chocolate in double broiler. (you can also use your microwave on a very low power setting, just be careful not to burn the chocolate).
• Dip marshmallow covered cherries in chocolate and place an a wax paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve.

LIQUOR-INFUSED CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pour cherries, with their juice, into a glass bowl. Cover cherries with rum. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerate for 1 week.
• Drain and dry rum-infused cherries.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup butter, milk, and maple syrup together in a bowl until smooth and pliable. Wrap each cherry with sugar mixture. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Combine chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons butter, and paraffin wax in a saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Dip each wrapped cherry into the melted chocolate mixture using a toothpick. Return to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cherries. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until set, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES III

Steps:

• Using a double boiler, heat the chocolate until melted. Stir in milk, using enough to make the chocolate smooth.
• Holding the cherries by their stems, dip them one by one into the chocolate mixture.
• Place the coated cherries on wax paper until the chocolate has dried.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate over hot water in a double boiler. Remove from heat. Holding the cherries by their stems, dip each into the melted chocolate, twirling to coat. Place on a tray covered with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

MARSHMALLOW CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter. Add marshmallow creme, salt, extract and sugar; mix well. Knead into a large ball; chill for 1 hour. Roll into 1-in. balls and flatten into 2-in. circles. Wrap circles around cherries and carefully shape into balls. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl. Dip cherries in chocolate; place on waxed paper to harden. Refrigerate in a covered container 1-2 weeks before serving.

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.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES II

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together confectioner's sugar, margarine, milk and almond extract.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the mixture into a large ball. Roll into 1 inch balls. Flatten the balls into 2 inch circles. Leaving the stems sticking out, wrap the cherries in the circles by lightly rolling in hands. Place the wrapped cherries on wax paper and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Holding by the stem, dip the chilled cherries into the chocolate chip mixture. Chill until serving.

COCONUT CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in milk and vanilla until well blended and mixture looks like softened butter. Fold in the coconut and walnuts. , With moist hands, shape 2 teaspoonfuls of coconut mixture around each cherry, forming a ball. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip coated cherries into chocolate. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a stand up mixer and mix until smooth. You will need to knock it down every so often. If you don't have a mixer, use your hands. This is a very stiff dough.
• Let stand 1 hour. Pinch of small amounts, flatten slightly and press around each cherry, sealing well. Place on waxed paper to dry. Let stand about 30 minutes, turn cherries over and dry another 30 minutes.
• Combine chocolate and paraffin in double boiler until melted and smooth. Dip balls into chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper to harden.
• Keep cherries in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks before serving. Do not store in the refrigerator as this will discolor the chocolate coating.