Dark Chocolate Cherry Candies Recipes

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

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.

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 CANDIES

Steps:

• Beat peanut butter, butter and confectioners' sugar until crumbly. Stir in walnuts, coconut, cherries and cherry juice. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of filling into balls. Freeze 10 minutes. , In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off; place on waxed paper. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Freeze option: Freeze candy in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, serve frozen or thaw in refrigerator before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY CANDIES

Steps:

• LINE baking sheets with wax paper.
• MICROWAVE chocolate in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 45 seconds; STIR. If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Stir in pretzels, cherries and almonds until well coated. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared trays. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
• NOTE: Coarsely chopped dried apricots or sweetened dry cranberries can be substituted for the dried cherries.

BLACK FOREST (CHOCOLATE CHERRY) TRUFFLES RECIPE

Steps:

• Begin by making the chocolate-cherry ganache. First, place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-safe bowl.
• Pour the cream in a small saucepan, and place it over medium heat. Heat the cream until small bubbles form along the sides of the pan, but don't allow it to come to a boil.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream until it is well-combined. Stir in the chopped cherries and the kirschwasser, if using.
• Press a layer of cling wrap on top of the chocolate, and allow it to come to room temperature. Place the truffle cream in the refrigerator to firm up for about 2 hours.
• Form the truffles. You can use a spoon to scoop 1-inch truffles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Alternately, you can fill a piping bag (fitting with a ½-inch round tip) and pipe 1-inch mounds on a prepared baking sheet.
• Pour the cocoa powder on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment. Dust your hand with cocoa, and roll the truffle mounds into balls. Return to the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating.
• Dip the formed truffles in the chocolate and return them to the baking sheet. While the chocolate is still wet, top each truffle with red sprinkles or a sliver of dried cherry, if using. If you want to get the red-topped effect in the photo, melt some red candy coating and place it in a paper cone or plastic bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a dot of red coating on top of each truffle and let dry.
• Chill the truffles in the refrigerator until they are completely set, for about 15 minutes. For the best taste and texture, serve Black Forest Truffles at room temperature, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY CANDIES

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with wax paper.
• Microwave chocolate in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 45 seconds; Stir. If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Stir in pretzels, cherries and almonds until well coated. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared trays. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temperature.