Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe

Directions

1. Melt Merckens chocolate melts (see how to melt Merckens HERE)

2. Make the chocolate shell. There are two ways to make the chocolate shells that will be filled with cherries. Paint the chocolate with a brush - With a candy paintbrush, paint melted chocolate up the sides of the candy mold cavities.

   Fill and dump- fill all cavities with melted chocolate, let set for one minute until the outer edge of the chocolate starts to set up. Turn the mold upside down to drain excess chocolate on parchment paper. Using a spatula scrape the top of the mold so that the excess chocolate is removed and you have a smooth edge.

3. Let chocolate shells set at room temperature until set up (about 5 minutes).

4. Drain cherries from the jar and reserve the liquid.

5. Set cherries on paper towels and pat dry.

6. Mix ¾ Cup fondant sugar with 4 ½ tablespoon maraschino cherry juice.

7. Place a cherry into one of the hardened shells.

8. Fill shell ¾ using a spoon with fondant mixture, leaving room to cap with chocolate.

9. Using a disposable pastry bag filled with melted chocolate, or a spoon, top each cavity with melted chocolate, sealing the edges.

10. Tap mold gently onto your work space to level chocolate and bring air bubbles to the surface.

11. Place the mold into the refrigerator until set, approximately 6 to 10 minutes.

12. Once set up and ready, the chocolates should easily release from the mold.

To make brandied cherries

1. Drain liquid from a jar of maraschino cherries.

2. Replace liquid with brandy.

3. Store jar in the refrigerator for at least one week. (The longer the cherries soak in the brandy, the stronger the flavor.)

4. Follow above recipe, replacing the 4 1/2 tablespoons of maraschino juice with brandy soaking liquid.