Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries

Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries

Better than boxed cordials, these homemade chocolate covered cherries are extra special

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Candy, Cherries, Chocolate, Desserts

Prep Time: 2 30

Setting Time at Room Temperature: 30

Servings:

Calories: 88kcal

Equipment

Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment Fitted with a Paddle Attachment
Medium Mixing Bowl with Lid or a piece of plastic wrap in lieu of a lid
2 Parchment Lined Sheet Pans Preferably with lid
1 teaspoon Measuring Spoon
½ teaspoon Measuring Spoon
Small, microwave-safe bowl
Large, Airtight Container
Plastic Wrap
Fork or Spoon

Ingredients

427 g Powdered Sugar About 3-½ C (plus 1 Tbsp, separated)
100 g Sweetened Condensed Milk About ⅓ C
60 g Unsalted Butter 4 Tbsp
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Almond Extract
Scant pinch Kosher Salt
20 oz Maraschino Cherries (with stems, if desired), Drained Approximately 40 cherries
180 oz Good Quality Dark Chocolate Chips About 1 C (I used Lily's, which has no added sugar)

Instructions

Gather your ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend together the powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter and both extracts until a soft dough forms.
Gently knead the dough on a clean worksurface until smooth and roll into a ball. The consistency will be a stiff, sugar paste with a marshmallow flavor, very similar to fondant. Place the ball into a bowl, cover, and pop into the refrigerator for about an hour.
Dip each cherry into the reserved tablespoon of powdered sugar and place onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Freeze the cherries for one hour. This step will make the following steps much easier.
After an hour, remove the sugar paste dough from the refrigerator and begin portioning small rounds using a teaspoon. With clean hands, gently knead and press to flatten using your thumb. You want the layer to be as thin as possible. Wrap the dough around each cherry, up to the stem, covering it completely.
Melt the chocolate in 20-30 seconds increments using a microwave, stirring gently with a fork or spoon. until smooth. The less stirring the better, as incorporating too much air can cause very small bubbles to form as the chocolate dries and hardens.
Dip each wrapped covered cherry into the chocolate until the entire cherry is covered. Shake gently to drip off any excess chocolate. Place the cherries onto a separate parchment-lined sheet pan and repeat until all the cherries have been dipped. Allow to set, just until the chocolate has lost its initial glossiness.
Cover tightly and store away in a pantry or cabinet for at least thirty (30) days. During this time, the sugar paste will slowly dissolve, creating a juicy, liquid-like center. After a month has passed, you may store your chocolate covered cherries in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

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