Chocolate Covered Cherries

I love chocolate covered cherries. In high school my mom used to always put a box in my stocking. In college, I treated myself to a box every Christmas season when they began popping up in the grocery store in abundance. This year I decided to make my own. Chuck, my future father-in-law, considers himself a connoisseur of chocolate covered cherries. He loves them and has tried a lot of different kinds. He absolutely loved these. He even told me I should be proud of myself, they were that good. Eric was madly in love with them too.

With that said, these chocolate covered cherries were supposed to have liquid centers. However, the centers stayed cream, a very tasty cream, but still a cream. So if you're looking for a recipe for chocolate covered cherries with liquid inside, this recipe isn't for you.

Fair warning, these need to age for about a month to get the best flavor so you have to start early, like in November.

Ingredients:
2 5-ounce jars of maraschino cherries (roughly 60)
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cherry liquid from the jar of cherries (you can also use vanilla extract, almond extract, or brandy)
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups chocolate chips*

Directions:
Drain the cherries in a strainer and dry the cherries using paper towel. You want to get the cherries as dry as you can, but be careful not to crush them. Reserve 2 teaspoons of cherry liquid.

In a large bowl, combine butter and corn syrup. You can use an electric mixer or do it by hand. I did it by hand with ease. Stir in cherry liquid and salt. A cup at a time, add the sugar to the mixture until it is well incorporated. After about 2 1/2 cups and began kneading the sugar into the fondant.

Take about 1/2 tablespoon of fondant, wrap it around a cherry, and place on a wax-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cherries. Freeze for 1 hour.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Since chocolate is easy to burn, only microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until it is melted and smooth. Coat the cherries in chocolate and place them back on the waxed cookie sheet.

Place the chocolate covered cherries into the freeze for 30 minutes then transfer them to an air-tight container and store for 7 to 30 days in the refrigerator. 

*The original recipe calls for 2 cups chocolate chips. I probably used double that. I always end up using a ton of chocolate when coating stuff.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

2012 Christmas Baking List
Christmas Kiss Cookies
Tea Cookies
Cornflake Wreath Cookies
Candied Citrus Peels
Christmas Candy Corn: Peppermint and Cinnamon
Sea Salt Nutella Fudge
Peanut Butter Fudge
Spiced Cranberry Juice

Check out last year's baking list!