Cherry Chocolate Cups Recipes

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE COOKIE CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 48 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix and cocoa until well mixed. Stir in butter, water and egg until soft dough forms.
• Shape dough into 48 (1-inch) balls. (If dough is sticky, use moistened fingers.) Press 1 ball into bottom and up side of each muffin cup.
• Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Gently press end of handle of wooden spoon into bottom and against side of each cookie cup to flatten, being careful not to make holes in dough. Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until bottom is set. Cool in pan on cooling rack 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, mix baking chips and cream. Microwave on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 20 to 30 seconds longer or until mixture is smooth and chips are melted. Stir in amaretto and chopped cherries. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened; stir.
• Using tip of knife or metal spatula, lift cookie cups out of pan, gently twisting and lifting up; place on cooling racks. Repress centers with spoon if necessary. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons cherry mixture into each cup. Sprinkle with red sugar or top with cherry piece.

CHERRY-ALMOND CUPS

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix butter and 1/2 cup sugar until well blended. Stir in almond extract and 1 egg. Stir in flour and salt until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour if necessary for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 350°F. In small microwavable bowl, microwave almond paste on High 15 to 20 seconds or until warm. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar until well mixed. Add 1 egg; mix well. (Mixture may be lumpy.)
• Divide crust dough into 4 pieces; divide each into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into ball. Place 1 ball in each of 48 ungreased miniature muffin cups; press in bottom and up sides of each cup.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling into each cup. Sprinkle or arrange several almond slices and 1 cherry half on top of each cookie.
• Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until centers are puffed and edges are light golden brown. Cool in pans 5 minutes. With tip of knife, lift cookies from cups. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon shortening; stir until smooth. Brush evenly on the inside of 12 paper or foil miniature muffin cup liners. Repeat with white baking chocolate and remaining shortening. Chill until firm, about 25 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cherries, water and extract; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid., In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, food coloring, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons reserved cherry liquid; beat on medium-low speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Fold in cherries., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a tip. Fill with cherry mixture. Pipe into chocolate cups. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Carefully remove from liners.

OLD FASHIONED CHERRY MASH CHOCOLATES

Steps:

• First, line the mini muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
• Then, line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside.
• Next, in a small bowl, combine softened butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until it starts to stick together. It will be clumpy.
• Add patted-dried, chopped maraschino cherries. Mix well. IF the mixture is still clumpy after adding the chopped cherries, add a half tsp of maraschino cherry juice and mix again. If needed, add another half teaspoon and so on. You do not want this to be the consistency of frosting. You want to keep it as thick as possible.
• Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop or small spoon, scoop cherry mixture onto lined cookie sheet an inch apart. Place in freezer for at least one hour.
• Next, while cherry drops are freezing, follow the instructions on the package to melt Almond Bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, add crushed peanuts and peanut butter. Mix well.
• Then, drop a small amount of the Almond Bark mixture into the bottom of each liner, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner.
• Take cherry drops out of the freezer and break each one in half. (You only want the cherry centers to be about ½ Tbsp). Form the halved drops into a circular disk and place one on top of each Almond Bark mixture already in the pan.
• Afterward, top each cherry drop with a spoonful of the Almond Bark mixture.
• Allow to cool completely and set up before eating.
• Can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 days.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface (cover remaining sheets with a damp towel). Brush phyllo with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Layer 2 more sheets on top, brushing each with butter and sprinkling with cinnamon-sugar.
• Cut stacked phyllo into 6 rectangles and gently press each into a standard muffin cup, pleating as needed so phyllo sits flat in bottom of cup. Bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, toss cherries with 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit until cherries have released some juice, 10 minutes. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar, ricotta, and vanilla; fold in chocolate. Divide mixture among phyllo cups and top with cherries.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Line 3 baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper.
• Make the cookie base: Using a fine mesh strainer, sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour. (This may take some time - I use a spatula to try to work out any large clumps or pieces. If there are bits of the almond flour that won't go through the strainer, you can put the mixture in a food processor and pulse a few times. Make sure to just pulse so you don't turn it into butter.)
• Add the 65g of egg whites and stir until the mixture is moistened.
• Make the Italian meringue: Place the 185g of sugar in a small saucepan. Add about 2 tablespoons of water and stir with your finger until the sugar is moistened. Wet your finger and wipe down the sides of the pan to remove any sugar on the sides of the pan.
• Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and the cream of tartar. Turn the mixer on to medium-low.
• Once the sugar has dissolved in the saucepan, take a pastry brush dipped in water and wash down the sides of the pan. Once the mixture is at a roiling boil, turn the mixer up to medium high.
• Cook the mixture until it reaches 244ºF on a thermometer.
• When the egg whites have volume but are still soft, turn the mixture to low and slowly drizzle the sugar mixture into the egg whites, between the side of the bowl and the outer reach of the whisk. Turn the speed up to medium and continue to whip until the outside of the bowl has cooled off and the whites are firm and glossy but not dry, about 5 minutes.
• Add a small amount of the meringue to the cookie base and stir it in with a spatula. This will lighten up the mixture. Add in a few drops of red food coloring. Add the remaining meringue in 3 batches, folding them gently into the mixture. When the meringue is completely incorporated, continue to fold the mixture over until the mixture forms a ribbon that settles slowly into the mixture. If the ribbon rests on top of the mixture, stir another 4 or 5 times and test again. You don't want to stir it too much to liquify the mixture, or the cookies will not hold their shape.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used Ateco #804). Pipe the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets in quarter sized rounds.
• Let the cookies stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. The cookies should be dry to the touch and will form a "shell" on the surface.
• Bake the pans for 8-10 minutes each, until they are risen and set, but not browned. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the pan.
• Beat the butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and the cocoa and continue to beat until smooth. Add in 1 tablespoon of milk and the cherry extract. Continue to beat until combined. Add an additional tablespoon of milk, if needed, to achieve a consistency that is easy for piping. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip.
• To assemble the macarons, turn half of the macaron shells upside down. Cut the maraschino cherries in half or into thirds, and place one piece in the middle of each of the cookies that are upside down. Pipe the buttercream around the cherry. Place another macaron shell on top, flat side down. Press down lightly.
• Store the cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.