Chocolate Covered Cherries

Step 1

Decide whether you want to leave the stems on, or take them off. It is totally up to you.Dry the cherries thoroughly on paper towels before wrapping in fondant.

Step 2

For Cherry Cordials (optional)Drain the cherries in a colander, and then soak them in brandy or rum for up to 24 hours.Dry the soaked cherries thoroughly on paper towels before wrapping in fondant.

Step 3

Combine butter and corn syrup in a medium bowl, mixing with your hands until smooth. Sift in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a soft dough.You can do this step using a mixer, but I find it so much easier to just do it by hand.

Step 4

The fondant is ready when it is smooth, supple, and about the same consistency as new Play-Doh. Chill fondant in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Wrap each cherry in about 1½ teaspoons of dough.A. Roll the dough into a small log, about the same size around as your index finger.B. Flatten the log.C. Place a cherry in the center.D. Roll the log around the cherry, pinching the ends together.

Step 6

Once the cherry is generally covered, roll it around a few times in your palm to smooth it all out and form a ball. The fondant should be consistently the same thickness over the surface of the cherry.

Step 7

Line the fondant-covered cherries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until firm; about 30 minutes.Do not chill for more than 2 hours, or the cherries will begin to break down the fondant and it will get too soft.

Step 8

While the prepared cherries are chilling, heat the chocolate and a teaspoon of shortening or coconut oil in medium double boiler over low heat, or in a fondue pot on low. Stir almost constantly until smooth.

Step 9

Dip one cherry at a time.Once the chocolate is fully melted and the fondant-covered cherries are firmly chilled, drop one cherry into the chocolate.

Step 10

Use a toothpick to pick the cherry up out of the chocolate, and give it a gentle tap to allow any extra chocolate to fall back into the melted mix.Use a second toothpick the push the cherry off the toothpick and onto the parchment.Immediately dip a toothpick into the chocolate and cover the small hole at the top made by the toothpick.

Step 11

Repeat the process until all the cherries have been dipped. Allow the covered cherries to rest on the baking sheet until firm.

Step 12

When the chocolate covered cherries have firmed up, pick each one up off the parchment. The underside chocolate layer will be very thin, and needs to be built up to hold the center as the fondant breaks down into liquid over time. If you skip this step, your cherries may leak.Holding the top of a cherry gently with two fingers, gently dip it into the chocolate again, barely touching the bottom the cherry to the melted chocolate, so that there is a second layer coating the underside of the candy.

Step 13

Place the coated cherries back on the parchment as you dip the undersides. The cherries can also placed into paper candy cups at this time.