Simple Yet Elegant Dipped Cherries Food

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.

ACORN MAGIC DELIGHTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, 3/4 cup chopped pecans, and vanilla until well blended. Combine flour and baking powder, and stir into the butter mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten cookies slightly to keep them from rolling off of the pan, and pinch the tops to a point to resemble acorns.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet to cool on wire racks.
• In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate chips, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat; keep chocolate warm over water in the double boiler. Dip pointy ends of cooled cookies into melted chocolate, then into the remaining 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Allow cookies to set on waxed paper.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food color; blend well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour and salt; mix well.
• Stir in cherries.
• If dough is too dry, add a little more cherry liquid until dough holds together when shaped.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are just slightly brown.
• Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate candy, pressing down firmly.
• Remove from cookie sheets and cool.

IN-A-SNAP BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mash the garlic and salt into a paste. Add the tomatoes, pesto, cheese, oil, sugar and pepper. , Spread cream cheese on each baguette slice; top with bruschetta mixture. Garnish with parsley.

AMARETTO FRUIT PARFAITS

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and sour cream with mixer at medium speed.
• Blend in sugar, liqueur, and cream.
• Chill.
• Put fruit in serving dishes and spoon cream cheese mixture over fruit.
• Serve and 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.