Chocolate Covered Dried Cherries Recipes

Steps:

• Pour brandy over drained cherries; let set for two days.
• Combine butter, corn syrup and salt; blend until smooth.
• Add confectioners' sugar and mix well.
• Knead until smooth and shiny; wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.
• Drain cherries well on paper towels; pat dry.
• Shape a marble-size piece of fondant around each cherry and place on wax paper-lined tray. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Melt chocolate over hot water, stirring constantly.
• Dip cherries quickly and place on wax paper-lined tray.
• Place in refrigerator to set.
• Store in covered container in a cool, dark place for 10 to 14 days to fully ripen allow the fondant to liquify inside.

Steps:

• Finely chop 1/2 pound dark chocolate. Combine three-quarters of the chocolate and 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is melted; stir in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Dip 1 pound fresh cherries in the chocolate by the stems and set on parchment paper. Let harden at room temperature.

Steps:

• Place the dried cherries in a coating pan attached to a stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Using a ladle, add the chocolate to the spinning cherries. Add one ladleful at a time until the cherries are coated to the desired thickness. (Use a 50/50 ratio (50 percent chocolate, 50 percent weight of the cherries.) If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate and vice versa.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

Steps:

• For Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan.
• Pour graham cracker crumbs into bottom of pan. Drizzle with melted butter and press to form a thin crust.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• For Filling: Melt chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat, and bring to room temperature. Consistency should be pourable.
• Meanwhile, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar, and blend at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Blend in eggs, one at a time. Beat until fluffy.
• Add vanilla extract, and whip to combine.
• Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently as you are adding ingredients, to ensure that everything is well incorporated.
• Gently stir in the melted chocolate, just until combined.
• Carefully stir in the dried cherries.
• Pour filling into room temperature crust.
• Wrap bottom of springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place in a large roasting pan. Set on center oven rack. Carefully fill roasting pan with boiling water, about 1 inch up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees, or until center is just set.
• Remove from oven, and allow to cool about 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Do not remove the springform pan.
• Cover, and chill overnight.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
• In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.
• Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.