12 Sweets of Christmas: #6 - Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe

Quite a few years ago, and I really can't remember when, I came up with the crazy idea of not just making one or two different kinds of cookies or candies to give away during the Christmas season, but to make 12 different varieties, now known as the "12 Sweets of Christmas".  Once Thanksgiving had ended and the tree had been put up I begin the monumental task of mixing, baking, dipping and wrapping up the 12 goodies into tins to give as gifts to family and friends.  Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into, but everyone seems to love my tins packed full of goodies and I think I would have a revolt on my hands if I failed to follow through on my yearly tradition.  

This year I figured I would share all my recipes and photos of each of the sweets and here is #6.

#6 Chocolate Covered Cherries

This recipe is a family favorite.  My earliest memories of Christmas baking is sitting with my older sister and making these - though, looking back I probably ate more than I helped make.  It is a bit time consuming, but in the end well worth it.   

Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe

Fondant:

1/3 C Butter, creamed

1/3 C Corn Syrup

1 t Vanilla

½ t Salt

1 lb Powdered Sugar

-mix and knead until smooth, chill

3 Jars Cherries (get the ones with stems)

-cover cherries with fondant and chill

Chocolate:

Chocolate Chips

Wax (you will find it in the canning section)

-1 bag of chocolate chips and shave about 1/8th of a block of wax

-melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or less

-dip cherries by holding onto the stem

-let harden on wax paper

Begin by mixing the butter, syrup, salt and vanilla.

Weigh the powdered sugar and then add.

Mix thoroughly and your fondant should like look the picture above.

Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.

Drain the cherries.

I like to purchase the cherries with stems, but I couldn't find them this year.

(It makes it so much easier to dip them in chocolate when you can hold onto the stem, plus everyone knows they are chocolate covered cherries.)

Take a small piece of the fondant and flatten.  Place a cherry in the middle.

Wrap the cherry and remove any excess dough.

Roll the enclosed cherry between the palms of your hands and place on wax paper.

When you are finished, chill the cherries for a few hours or up to a day.

I usually place my pans out in our cold entry to chill.

In a microwave safe dish add the chocolate chips.

Next, shave off about 1/8th of a bar of wax and add to the chocolate.  Microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.  This wax/chocolate mixture makes a smooth and shiny coating for the candies.

Because I wasn't able to purchase the cherries with stems, I used a toothpick to dip the cherries.  Let drip for a few seconds.....

 and place on wax paper to harden.

These chocolate covered cherries are not as runny as those you purchase in the store, but I think they taste much better.