Fondant For Chocolate Cherries Recipes

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:

• First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter (use 50g in total) all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.
• Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt 200g good-quality dark chocolate and 200g butter, both chopped into small pieces, together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.
• In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g golden caster sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
• Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.
• Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.
• Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.
• Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.
• Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

Steps:

• Make the soil first. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Thinly slice the chocolate cake and lay on baking trays lined with baking parchment. Bake for 30 mins, turning the slices halfway, until crisp to the touch. Put in a food processor and whizz to crunchy crumbs. Will keep well for up to a week in an airtight tin.
• Make the fondants by brushing 6 dariole moulds well with melted butter. Chill for 1 min, then brush again. Put a spoon of cocoa powder in one and shake about so the whole inside is coated, then tip out the rest into the next and tap the bottom of the dariole to get out any excess. Repeat with all the darioles.
• Beat together the softened butter, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla to cream them, then beat in the eggs, followed by the flour. Stir in the melted chocolate and divide between the darioles. Chill for up to 24 hrs.
• To serve, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Bake the fondants for 10-12 mins - the top will be set, but you should feel a soft middle when you prod it. Add a small pile of soil to each plate and top with a cherry - or put the soil in a mini bucket or flowerpot. Add a spoon of cherry compote to each plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Finally, carefully turn each chocolate fondant out onto the plate - they should come out easily. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine milk and corn syrup. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar (mixture will be stiff). Divide into two portions. , For peppermint patties, add the peppermint oil to one portion. Shape 1/2 teaspoonfuls into balls and flatten. In a microwave, melt 1 pound of candy coating, stir until smooth. With a slotted spoon, dip peppermint disks in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper to harden. Refrigerate in an airtight container., For chocolate-covered cherries, drain cherries, reserving 3 tablespoons of juice; set cherries aside. Combine juice with remaining fondant. Add additional confectioners' sugar if necessary to form a stiff mixture. , Roll into 1-in. balls; flatten to 2-in. circles. Wrap each circle around a cherry and carefully shape into a ball. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely. Melt remaining candy coating; dip cherries in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper to harden. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks for candy to ripen and center to soften.

Steps:

• 1. Combine ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves; boil; cover and boil 3 minutes; uncover; wipe sides and cook until soft ball stage. Pour on platter rinsed in cold water. Cool until you can handle with hands. Knead until creamy, stiff and free from lumps. (It may appear to have sugared, continue to knead until smooth.)
• 2. Store in refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain maraschino cherries, place small balls of fondant inside cherries. (Cherries with fondant will dip better if placed in freezer for a short time.)
• 3. Melt dipping chocolate in double boiler along with the paraffin wax. Use fork to dip cherries in the chocolate, place on a waxed paper and cool until set.
• 4. NOTE: Fondant can also be flavored with maple, lemon, or orange flavorings; roll in a ball and dipped in chocolate for nuggets.