Philly Cream Cheese Chocolate Covered Cherries Food

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-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 CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine chocolate crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Gently fold in cherries and pecans. Pour into crust. , Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. , Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. , In a microwave, melt the semisweet chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon shortening; stir until smooth. Cool for 2 minutes; pour over cheesecake. Spread over the top and let it run down the sides. Cool. , In a small saucepan, melt white chocolate and remaining shortening. Drizzle over the top. Cool. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl until evenly combined; set aside. Break the almond paste into small pieces in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and beat on low speed until the paste forms small crumbles in the sugar, about 2 minutes. Add half the butter and continue beating until the mixture starts forming large clumps and wiping the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining butter, increase the speed to medium high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg and kirsch if using and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until the dough just comes together.
• Scoop 30 tablespoon-size portions of dough, roll into balls and divide between the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart. Press a cherry in the center of each dough ball, then refrigerate the cookies on the baking sheets for 30 minutes.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and set at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: Combine the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chocolate chips and stir slowly until smooth.
• Using a teaspoon, spoon the chocolate glaze over the cherry of each cookie, letting it drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set before serving, about 10 minutes. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight containers for up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter, buttermilk, egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup water together in another bowl until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until just combined. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Discard the parchment paper and flip the cakes right side up again. Let the cakes cool completely.
• Make the cherry filling: Quarter the cherries and transfer them to a medium bowl with the 2 tablespoons reserved syrup. Combine the gelatin with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Heat the gelatin in the microwave until it melts completely, about 10 seconds, stirring to dissolve. Combine the gelatin, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, salt and almond extract in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the bowl containing the cherries and stir to combine. Refrigerate, checking every 5 minutes, until the filling is just set enough to spread, 5 to 15 minutes. (Do not let the filling firm up too much.)
• Place one cake on a cake stand and pile the cherry filling in the center, spreading it in a thick layer almost to the edge. Top with the remaining cake, aligning the layers directly on top of each other so the cake does not lean. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate, shaking the pan gently to submerge it. Allow the pan to stand, off the heat, for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk the ganache until smooth, then refrigerate until it is just thick enough to spread (like mayonnaise), about 15 minutes. (Do not let the ganache harden too much.)
• 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not let the ganache harden too much.)
• Stir the ganache again and scoop it on top of the cake, spreading it over the top and sides. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or overnight.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY COOKIE BALLS

Steps:

• Cut each of 2 cherries into 6 pieces; reserve for later use. Cut remaining cherries in half.
• Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended. Shape into 12 (1-inch) balls, using a level tablespoon for each. Use your finger to press indentation into center of each cookie ball.
• Insert a cherry half into each indentation; reroll ball to completely enclose cherry with cream cheese mixture. Place on a waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Microwave chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds more; stir. Continue heating and stirring in 10-second increments until completely melted.
• Dip each ball in chocolate using a fork, letting any excess drip back into the bowl; return to baking sheet. Top immediately with reserved cherry pieces and sprinkles. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream; blend well.
• Spoon 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for topping). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.
• Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread glaze over cooled cheesecake, allowing some to flow down side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl; press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add sugar and almond extract; beat until smooth.
• Add 1/2 cup of the whipping cream; blend well.
• Spoon 3 1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture into the crust lined pan, spreading evenly.
• Carefully spread 1 cup of the pie filling evenly over the cream cheese layer; reserve the remaining pie filling for the topping.
• Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the pie filling layer.
• Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is set.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour.
• Bring the other 1/2 cup of whipping cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips.
• Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• Remove the sides of the springform pan.
• Place cheesecake on the paper lined cookie sheet.
• Spread the chocolate glaze evenly over the top of the cheesecake allowing some of the glaze to run down the sides.
• Chill for at least 3 hours or over night.
• Serve topped with the remaining pie filling.

PHILLY CREAM CHEESE CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• 1. Kneed creamed cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together until you have a stiff dough.
• 2. Form walnut sized ball of the candy mixture around each cherry.
• 3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and dip cherries, placing them on wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.