It’s safe to say that around here, the phrase “everything tastes better dipped in chocolate,” is one of our favorites. From its delicious, creamy taste to the sound of its hard shell breaking, chocolate elevates everything to a 10.
So whether your having friends over for the night or want to get started on an early Valentine’s Day present for the one you love, today is the day to start making your own homemade, chocolate covered cherries.
Vanilla and Chocolate Covered Cherries
What you’ll need:
- 1 large bag of maraschino cherries, with the stem
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup of butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups of semisweet milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup of semisweet vanilla chocolate chips
Directions:
Step 1: Combine sugar, butter, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt into a large bowl and blend them until smooth. Place the bowl in your fridge for roughly an hour to firm.
Step 2: Place your washed cherries on a large cookie sheet and leave them in the freezer to harden for an hour as well.
Step 3: Wrap your filling around each individual cherry and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet, then place the sheet in the freezer for another hour once they’ve all been coated.
Step 4: Melt your milk and vanilla chocolate in separate double boilers. Dip each cherry in milk chocolate and leave them to cool. Then, drizzle them in a bit of white chocolate and freeze them one last time.
Chocolate and Dough-Dipped Cherries
What you’ll need:
- 1 large bag of maraschino cherries, with the stem
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 pound chocolate confectioners’ coating
Directions:
Step 1: Place the opened bag of cherries into a straining bowl and rinse them for at least 30 seconds.
Step 2: In a medium-sized bowl, combine your butter and corn syrup until smooth. Then, gradually add in confectioners’ sugar and knead the mixture until it forms into dough.
Step 3: Hand wrap each cherry in a small piece of dough and leave them to chill for about an hour.
Step 4: Melt confectioners’ coating over low heat, stirring it regularly. Holding the stem, dip each cherry in the mixture and place them on baking sheets lined with wax paper. Leave them to chill for at least an hour. Once the chocolate has set, place them all in an airtight container and enjoy them for up to a month.
Traditional Chocolate-Dipped Cherries
If you’re in a pinch for time, you can always skip the filling and dip fresh cherries straight into melted chocolate. Before leaving them to set in the fridge, also dip them in crushed nuts or sprinkles for a bit more color and fun — after all, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
And if you’re looking for a little more “adult” fun, try soaking your cherries in liquor the night before coating them!
