Kitchen

[susan423]

Hi Guys,

I made these a few years ago but I don't remember what recipe I used. I did a search for chocolate covered cherries and there was basically 2 different kinds. Some reciepe called for corn syrup in the liquid part and some recipes caled for either milk or sweetened condensed milk. Other then that the recipes were the same. Who has used what and what would be the difference in the finished product.

Thanks.

[FunkyHulaGirl]

You can buy two kinds of chocolate covered cherries: one kind is in a clear liquid (the corn syrup recipe); the other has more of a thick & creamy white syrup (condensed milk). Use the recipe for the kind you prefer. I hate the ""creamy"" ones - cloyingly sweet! (Not that the clear liquid ones aren't....)

[Nightowlz]

Are you talking just chocolate covered cherries or chocolate cordial cherries? I have never made any but just received a recipe from Chocoley. I made some goodies with their chocolate over the holidays which were really good. I bought some of their caramel & chocolate to make some chocolate caramel apples with but will do that next month.

Chocolate Cherry Cordials Recipe
(No Tempering Required)

1 lb. Bada Bing Bada Boom Candy & Molding Gourmet Compound Chocolate - Milk or Dark

• 60 maraschino cherries with stems (there are about 30 cherries in a 10-ounce jar)
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Liqueur (optional)

NOTE: Please read instruction #1 before starting this recipe!

• If you want to add Liqueur: Drain cherries but reserve 1-1/4 cups of the drained cherry liquid in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Amaretto or Creme de Cacao, or 3 tb Kirsch (Cherry Liqueur) Gently add the cherries to the sauce pan and let it soak overnight.
• Mix softened butter and corn syrup in a small bowl. When well mixed, stir in sifted confectioners' sugar.
• Knead mixture until smooth. If mixture is too soft to handle, put it in the refrigerator to chill well.
• Shape about 1/2 teaspoon of the confectioners' sugar mixture around each cherry.
• Place the coated cherries upright on a heavy weight dipping sheet. Chill until firm.
• Melt chocolate according to instructions that came with your Chocoley chocolate.
  
  Ideally, use a double boiler (or a double boiler insert). Do not let the water touch the bottom of the double boiler. Only let the water simmer. Do not allow it to boil or you may burn the chocolate.
  
  If you must use a microwave, melt on medium heat for short periods being very careful not to overheat the chocolate.
• Holding cherries by the stem, dip one at a time into the chocolate. Be sure to completely seal the cherries, otherwise the cherry juice may leak out after the chocolate has set.
• Let excess chocolate drip off cherries. Place the dipped cherries stem side up on heavy weight dipping sheets. Chill until chocolate is firm.
• Seal in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store at room temperature in low humidity.

Chocolate Cherry Cordials taste best after 1-2 weeks!

or Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
(No Tempering Required)

1 lb. Bada Bing Bada Boom Dipping &Coating Gourmet Compound Chocolate - DARK

• 1 lb. Chocoley Butter Cream Cream Center
• Maraschino Cherries or fresh cherries (if you don't mind the pits)
• If using Maraschino Cherries, allow to drain until there is no liquid left.
• Roll a small amount of Chocoley Butter Cream Cream Center into a ball, then press flat. Use corn starch on your hands to prevent your hands from getting sticky!
• Wrap flattened butter cream around a maraschino cherry, leaving the stem exposed. Repeat for the desired number of cherries.
• Place wrapped cherries onto a tray lined with a Heavy Weight Dipping Sheet and refrigerate at least 12 hours.
• Remove tray from fridge and allow to warm to room temperature.
• Melt chocolate according to instructions that came with your Chocoley chocolate.
  
  Ideally, use a Double Boiler or Insert. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the double boiler. Only let the water simmer. Do not allow it to boil or you may burn the chocolate.
  
  If you must use a microwave, melt on medium heat for short periods being very careful not to overheat the chocolate.
• Dip the wrapped cherries into the chocolate. Allow chocolate to drip back into dipping bowl so that not too much pools to the bottom of cherry.
• Place onto a fresh Heavy Weight Dipping Sheet.
• Let the chocolate set-up (harden) by placing the dipping sheet lined tray on a level shelf in the refrigerator until it is obvious that chocolate is set-up. This can take between 15-30 minutes. WARNING: Don’t leave the chocolate in the refrigerator for too long. The chocolate can become too cold and will “sweat” or even crack when brought to room temperature.
• Seal in an airtight container until ready to serve. Store at room temperature in low humidity.

[Vamp]

Chocolate covered cherries were one of my Dad's favorite treats. He always got a box at Christmas. He's been dead over 23 years, but this thread immediately brought me back to a time when he was here. Thanks for the memories.

[FunkyHulaGirl]

Vamp, they were my favorite aunt's favorite as well; I always think of her when I see them. She died very young - she was only 41 and left 3 young children, 2 of whom barely remember her (I think they were 3 and 5 when she died). I love that aunt like most love a mother, and there's not a day that I don't miss her still. Her oldest, a boy, died about 12 years ago, but her daughters love hearing stories about their mother and I started a tradition a couple of years ago when I found her girls after over 30 years of being out of contact. The first year I got each of them a box of the cherries, wrapped them, and printed out the story of how much their mom loved her chocolate covered cherries, her dad always complained that she ate too many sweets and wouldn't let her keep them in the house, and one year after they were visiting for Christmas (before the girls were born) I filled the pockets of her new coat with chocolate covered cherries...and they melted in there, since I didn't tell her because I wanted her to be surprised when she found them. (I was just a little girl...and the surprise wasn't the pleasant one I had hoped - but she appreciated the thought.) I put the story in an envelope and affixed it to the wrapped box of candy with a note to read it before opening the box. Now I send them each a box of chocolate covered cherries every Christmas, in memory of their mom.

[ROMARY]

What a nice, sentimental story. I love CCC's and somewhere in Community, about a year or two ago, we had a CCC's group of posters. We were going to name our group the CCC's, etc. Anyway, these recipes look wonderful, but I think I'll continue to save myself a lot of time, and continue buying them already made. But, for those who love to cook, bake, etc., these are very good recipes!

[susan423]

On 1/10/2014 FunkyHulaGirl said:

You can buy two kinds of chocolate covered cherries: one kind is in a clear liquid (the corn syrup recipe); the other has more of a thick & creamy white syrup (condensed milk). Use the recipe for the kind you prefer. I hate the ""creamy"" ones - cloyingly sweet! (Not that the clear liquid ones aren't....)

Thanks. That's what I needed to know. I already had recipes but I just didn't know which ingredient produced what kind of center.

[susan423]

On 1/10/2014 FunkyHulaGirl said:

Vamp, they were my favorite aunt's favorite as well; I always think of her when I see them. She died very young - she was only 41 and left 3 young children, 2 of whom barely remember her (I think they were 3 and 5 when she died). I love that aunt like most love a mother, and there's not a day that I don't miss her still. Her oldest, a boy, died about 12 years ago, but her daughters love hearing stories about their mother and I started a tradition a couple of years ago when I found her girls after over 30 years of being out of contact. The first year I got each of them a box of the cherries, wrapped them, and printed out the story of how much their mom loved her chocolate covered cherries, her dad always complained that she ate too many sweets and wouldn't let her keep them in the house, and one year after they were visiting for Christmas (before the girls were born) I filled the pockets of her new coat with chocolate covered cherries...and they melted in there, since I didn't tell her because I wanted her to be surprised when she found them. (I was just a little girl...and the surprise wasn't the pleasant one I had hoped - but she appreciated the thought.) I put the story in an envelope and affixed it to the wrapped box of candy with a note to read it before opening the box. Now I send them each a box of chocolate covered cherries every Christmas, in memory of their mom.

What a sweet story :-)

[Deadeye Daisy]

Just an FYI, here. Make sure you use 'LIGHT' corn syrup, NOT 'LITE' corn syrup. There is a big difference in candy making. The 'LITE' version doesn't have HFCS, and also works differently when candy making.

You don't need special chocolate - just use chopped regular dark or semi-sweet chocolate. I always use the microwave to melt and temper chocolate.

You can just soak the cherries in straight booze with no cherry syrup. It's the booze that causes an enzyme action that makes the fondant liquify. Once you soak the cherries overnight, allow them to dry on a rack until completely dry before covering with the fondant.

After covering with the fondant, do a 'partial' dip. You want to just dip about ¼" of the fondant covered cherries and allow the chocolate to set. Then do the final dipping. The first dip strengthens the chocolate shell on the bottom so none of the liquid will leak out later on. Cordial cherries are best if NOT refrigerated.

I make these every year whenever the humidity is low.

[Sooner]

Sometimes you find them with BOOZE in the clear liquid! Now THAT takes it up a notch for SURE!