Chocolate Covered Cherries (with some sparkly sugar!)
I make Chocolate Covered Cherries with just four ingredients, including fresh fruit and sparkling sugar. It's an easy candy recipe that beats the boxed version every time. Make homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries for holidays like Valentine's Day or to celebrate when freshly-picked cherries are in season.
Servings: 25 servings
Calories: 129kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh, sweet cherries with stems intact
- 16 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (Note: not needed if you are tempering your chocolate. See below.)
- ¼ cup sparkling decorating sugar
Instructions
Prepare the cherries:
- Wash the 1 pound fresh, sweet cherries with stems intact gently under running water. Spread them out to dry on a kitchen towel-lined wire rack. The cherries need to be completely dry before dipping.
- Spread a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over a work surface or in a large baking sheet. This is for the cherries after they're dipped.
Melt the chocolate:
- Bring water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler, or in a saucepan with a heatproof bowl set over the top.
- (Use a small amount of water so that it does not touch the bowl or pan resting above it.)
- Place the 16 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate and the 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening in the top pan or bowl. Stir everything until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn off the burner.
Dip the cherries:
- Holding them by the stem, dip the cherries one at a time in the melted chocolate. Use a spoon with the other hand to spoon chocolate up and over the cherry so that the whole thing is coated.
- Let excess chocolate drip away, then place the cherries on the wax or parchment paper so they're not touching.
- After every ten cherries or so, while the chocolate is still wet, take a pinch of the ¼ cup sparkling decorating sugar and sprinkle it over the tops of the cherries.
- Repeat these steps until all of the cherries have been dipped and topped with sugar.
- If you have any cherries without stems, set the cherry on the tines of a fork over the melted chocolate and use the spoon to pull the chocolate over it. Let the excess drip off and set the cherry on the paper.
Let the cherries set:
- Allow the cherries to rest in a cool spot (not the fridge) until the chocolate has set: about 2 hours, or a little less if you have a fan pointed at them.
- Serve the chocolate-covered cherries immediately.
- They can be stored for up to three days: place them in a single layer in a sealed container lined with a paper towel. Store them at room temperature away from heat sources or sunlight.
- Makes about 50 cherries.
OPTION: TEMPER THE CHOCOLATE
- To do this you will need a digital thermometer. You will not need the vegetable shortening.
- Divide the chocolate pieces into two piles.
- Bring water just to a simmer in the bottom pan of the double boiler. Place half of the chocolate into the top pan of the double boiler (or into a bowl set over the lower pan.) Have a digital thermometer ready and stir the chocolate constantly as it melts.
- Place your thermometer in the melted chocolate and continue to stir it. When the temperature reaches 115°F, remove the pan or bowl from the heat.
- Now you want to bring the temperature down to about 95°F: stir the chocolate checking the temperature periodically: it took my melted chocolate about 7 minutes to cool to 95 °F.
- Once you get the chocolate down to 95°F, place the pan or bowl with the chocolate back over the pan of simmering water. Add in the rest of the chocolate. Stir it constantly to melt everything. You'll have a pan of very smooth, thick chocolate ready to dip the cherries.
Notes
- Semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate are ideal for coating cherries. You can also try dipping the cherries in milk chocolate or white chocolate; just keep in mind that with sweet cherry varieties, the chocolates will make them quite a bit sweeter.
- Be sure the cherries are completely dry before dipping them. If any water drips into the melted chocolate, it will cause the chocolate to seize and harden.
- I add a dab of vegetable shortening to the chocolate as a quick and easy way to help the chocolate set more quickly and keep a bit of a shine. These can also be achieved by tempering the chocolate. If you want to try tempering your chocolate, I've included instructions in the recipe below.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cherries | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
