chocolate covered cherries

[MOM21SON]

I am thinking of making these for my mini muffin papers.  Any tried, true and easy recipes?

[jpcher]

Melting chocolate (I've used chocolate chips) can easily turn into a mess.

The trick is to do it slowly. Stir constantly over low heat (either a double-boiler method or straight in a pot) add a tbs. or so of cream while stirring. Never let the chocolate get to hot or to cool . . . remove from heat and keep stirring, add a bit more of cream, return to the heat, add more chocolate, back and forth.

I finally found chocolate fondu squares that can be done in the microwave which I've dipped strawberries in. For the life of me, I can't remember the brand name nor did a google search help me. Sorry.

I know that I can find the fondu squares in my bakery isle at the grocery store.

[MorgnsGrl]

I don't think they'll be like what you think of as chocolate covered cherries. The kind you buy from a store aren't just cherries and chocolate, they have a coating of fondant and something called liquid invertase on the cherries before they're dipped in the chocolate. It's quite a process! If you want to try, this might help -
http://candy.about.com/od/fruitnutcandy/r/choccherry.htm

[MOM21SON]

I don't think they'll be like what you think of as chocolate covered cherries. The kind you buy from a store aren't just cherries and chocolate, they have a coating of fondant and something called liquid invertase on the cherries before they're dipped in the chocolate. It's quite a process! If you want to try, this might help -
http://candy.about.com/od/fruitnutcandy/r/choccherry.htm

Thanks, but the quite a process left me screaming NO NO NO.  UGH, I am gonna find a use for these darn things!

[blarg314]

Yeah, the ones you get in chocolate assortments are a pretty complicated thing to make.

If you want to simply dip fruit in chocolate for a dessert, it's much easier, but they won't keep any longer than the fruit will. 

In general, chocolate for coating stuff neeeds to be tempered (slowly brought to a certain temperature, and then kept at that temperature for a certain time. If you don't do this, the chocolate will tend to go nasty looking after a while. A way around this is to use a chocolate coating compound, which is chocolate with other ingredients to keep it stable. If you're not buying high end chocolates in the store, that's what's was used. If you're going to make and eat, tempering is less of an issue.

If you want to use up mini-muffin papers, though, I've got a good recipe.

- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup walnuts, very coarsely chopped (about 1 cm pieces)
- zest of a lemon, finely grated
- 1 cup chopped white chocolate

Melt the white chocolate with the zest in a double boiler. As soon as it's melted, turn off the heat, add the walnuts and fruit and mix well. Let cool until you can handle it comfortably, and drop a spoonful on each muffin wrapper. Let cool until solid.

I take these into work at Christmas, and people love them.

[doodlemor]

Maybe this recipe would work for your little cups, a Swedish Christmas candy called knack [with an umlaut over the a.]

http://annesfood.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-candy-peppermint-knck.html

Here is another flavor.

http://annesfood.blogspot.com/2005/12/christmas-candy-swedish-crack.html

[jpcher]

Okay. I didn't realize that you were talking about the chocolate covered cherries that were bought at candy counters.

I just thought you were looking for a fresh-fruit dipped in chocolate type of thing.


For your mini-muffin papers, what about turtles?

Melt some caramel, add walnuts or pecans then spoon into your muffin papers (spray a bit of PAM or non-stick something on the papers) then cover with melted chocolate.