Chocolate Dipped Bing Cherries Recipes

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:

• 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.

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:

• Finely chop 1/2 pound dark chocolate. Combine three-quarters of the chocolate and 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is melted; stir in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Dip 1 pound fresh cherries in the chocolate by the stems and set on parchment paper. Let harden at room temperature.

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:

• 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:

• Dip the bottoms of cherries in chocolate. Let excess drip off.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the dry ingredients first: whisking together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, lemon zest and butter until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporation and scraping down the sides in between.
• Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended, then stir in the cherries and (optional) pistachios.
• Form the dough into 12" long x 3" wide logs on the parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until light golden. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut diagonally, 1/2"-3/4" slices. Lay the slices on the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes, or until they are a pale golden color. While they are cooking, get a pot of water boiling for your double boiler. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the chocolate chips in a small pot set over the pot of simmering water. Stir constantly to avoid burning the chocolate. When the chocolate is completely melted, dip the ends of the biscotti in and set them on a parchment sheet to set. Place all the biscotti in the refrigerator for about a half hour, until the chocolate firms up.
• They can be made ahead, or frozen for up to 3 weeks.

Steps:

• Drain cherries,place on paper towels and pat well.
• Set aside.
• Place sifted powdered sugar in bowl.
• Combine melted butter,evaporated milk vanilla,and salt.
• Pour over powdered sugar and mix well.
• May need to use hands to form a stiff,not sticky dough.
• Add more powdered sugar slowly,if need to form dough.
• Now pinch of a small amount,flatten into a disc and form around each cherry.
• Pinch off any excess dough.
• Place cherry on wax paper lined cookie sheets and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Melt chocolate chips and shortening over boiling water in double boiler.
• Dip cherries in chocolate,scraping off excess.
• Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.
• (I cheat sometimes and just use the chocolate flavored Almond Bark or candy coating).