White Chocolate Dipped Cherry Thins Recipes

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in cherries and walnuts.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a roll, about 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Cut rolls into 1/8-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating as directed on package until melted and smooth. Dip about 1/3 of each cookie at an angle into coating, allowing excess coating to drip back into bowl. Place on waxed paper; sprinkle with glitter. Let stand about 1 hour or until coating is set.

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pat cherries dry with paper towels.
• Melt chocolates separately in stainless steel bowl set over pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.
• Holding stem of cherry, dip cherry into melted chocolate to coat. You can coat half of cherry in white chocolate and half in semisweet chocolate, if desired. Transfer chocolate-dipped cherry to prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cherries and melted chocolate.
• Refrigerate for about 40 minutes, or until set.

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:

• Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over water. Holding cherry stem, dip 1 cherry halfway into chocolate. Place cherry, chocolate side down, on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining cherries and chocolate. Chill until chocolate is firm, at least 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

Steps:

• Drain cherries on several paper towels and press out excess moisture; allow to drain at least an hour.
• Fondant: In a medium bowl, combine butter, corn syrup, chocolate and milk; beat until smooth.
• Stir in confectioner's sugar (mixture will seem dry).
• When most of the sugar is mixed in, turn out onto counter and knead until smooth.
• Divide into 24 pieces (about 2 tsp each) and shape into balls.
• Flatten each ball and mold around cherries, covering cherry completely (leaving stem out).
• Refrigerate at least an hour or until very cold and very firm.
• Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• In a small saucepan over very low heat or in the microwave, melt chips and shortening or wax until smooth.
• Place pan or bowl over hot water to keep dipping consistency.
• Holding stems (or use toothpicks if your cherries have no stems), dip covered cherries into melted chocolate and allow excess to drip back into pan or bowl.
• Place on waxed papered cookie sheet to set.
• Place in miniture muffin cups if desired and store in tightly covered container or in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Pit cherries through the sides, leaving stems intact. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in hazelnuts and syrup. Pipe into cherries. , In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt white chips and 5 teaspoons shortening at 70% power. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. In another bowl, repeat with milk chocolate chips and 3-1/2 teaspoons shortening. Repeat with semisweet chips and remaining shortening., Holding stems, dip a third of the stuffed cherries into melted white chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Repeat with remaining cherries and milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate. Dip the white-coated cherries a second time to completely cover; let stand until set., Reheat remaining melted chocolate if necessary. Drizzle white chocolate over cherries dipped in milk or semisweet chocolate. Drizzle milk or semisweet chocolate over white chocolate-dipped cherries. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the bottom of (2) 9" round pans with parchment.
• Combine the clarified butter and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Set aside somewhere warm (you want the butter to stay melted).
• Combine the flour with 6 tbl.
• of the sugar and sift TWICE.
• Set aside.
• In the mixer, combine the eggs and rest of the sugar.
• Place the mixing bowl in a large pan of hot (not boiling, very hot tap water is good) water, and mix with your hand (kids love this part) until the eggs are warm (body temp).
• Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on high speed until cool, light and at the ribbon stage (when you lift the beaters, ribbons of batter fall back into the bowl and don't disappear very quickly).
• Now, everyone says to use a rubber spatula, but I find it much easier to use my hand to do this next part.
• Sprinkle about 1/3 of the flour onto the eggs and quickly and gently fold into the batter.
• Fold in half the remaining, then the rest.
• Take about a handful of the batter and mix into the small bowl of butter and vanilla until well combined.
• Gently fold that back into the batter.
• Divide between the pans and bake about 25 to 30 minutes- the cakes should BEGIN to shrink away from the side of the pans.
• Remove from oven, let cool about 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a flat surface and let cool completely before peeling off the parchment.
• Set aside.
• Make the cherry filling: (Since it's not cherry season, I'm giving you my version using canned cherries.) Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the liquid becomes heavy and syrupy.
• Take of heat and let stand until cool.
• Make the mousse: Melt the chocolate and water in the microwave at 30% power for 2 minutes.
• Stir until smooth.
• Let cool.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form, not too stiff.
• Set aside.
• Wipe your mixing bowl out with a dash of vinegar.
• Add the whites and whip until stiff, but not dry.
• Fold one fourth of the whites into the white chocolate.
• Scrape the remaining whites and whipped cream on top of the chocolate and fold together.
• Chill until needed.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE: Slice each cake in half.
• Discard one layer.
• Put about 1 cup of the mousse in the bottom of your serving dish (preferably a see-through trifle dish or bowl so you can see all the pretty layers).
• Place one slice of cake on top and press down lightly so it lays even in the dish.
• Ladle some of the cherry syrup onto the cake so it soaks in.
• Put about 1 1/2- 2 c.
• mousse on top and top with half the cherries.
• Place another cake layer on top, and repeat.
• place the last layer of cake on top and using a cake circle press down evenly so all the layers are even and look pretty through the sides of the bowl.
• Sprinkle the remaining cherry syrup over top of the cake layer and top with remaining mousse.
• Decorate with shaved white and dark chocolate.
• Refrigerate until service.
• **NOTE:If you have some home canned cherries, use them, they will be so much better.
• If you have access to fresh cherries at any time simply use 1 lb.
• of them, and poach them in red wine or port, sugar and the lemon slice.

Steps:

• Pat cherries dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, corn syrup, unsweetened chocolate and cream. Stir in confectioners' sugar., Knead until smooth. Roll into 18 balls; flatten each into a 2-in. circle. Wrap each circle around a cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place cherries, stem side up, in a shallow waxed paper-lined container. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours., The day before serving, remove the cherries from freezer. In a microwave, melt white baking chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening; stir until smooth., Holding onto the stem, dip each cherry into white baking chips, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. , Melt chocolate chips and remaining shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over candies. Refrigerate until firm. Store candies in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Pour the sugar into a shallow dish. Drop two drops of vanilla at a time into the dish in 24 separate places to form lumps of vanilla sugar. Set aside to allow the lumps to harden.
• Pit the cherries carefully from the bottom. I use a small curved dental tool. Make sure the stem stays intact.
• When the lumps of sugar have hardened, insert them into the cherries where the pits were; set aside. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
• Hold cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate leaving the very top uncovered. Set on waxed paper to dry. Refrigerate overnight to allow the sugar lumps to dissolve.