Chocolate-covered brandied cherries

[Michael M]

Years ago I had a recipe for these that involved rolling the cherries in fondant that, once covered in chocolate, liquified. I'm sure at the time I used maraschinos and Hershey's, but now that I'm all grown up, I have a half-gallon jar of sour Michigan cherries that have been sitting in brandy since July, and I'm thinking - hey, I can make a grown up version of those things!

I'm sure a trip to the library or bookstore would be more valuable than the google search I just did, as every recipe had things like: "salt", "chocolate chips", "empty the jar", "stir in margarine", etc. I want a real recipe.

I know there are 2 versions of these. One, the cherry floats in a viscous, brandied liquid; the other has the coverture exploding in your mouth with a lightly sweet brandy gushing out. I'd prefer the latter, like I had from St. Ambroeus in Milan.

I know there was talk of this on the board once, someting about invert sugars liquifying something something. I'll go search for it. In the meantime, anybody have a recipe? Thanks.

[Michael M]

First, I found the eGullet thread here which I remembered. This was helpful, although the book mentioned costs around $100, even at Amazon. What I've culled from that thread is either: 1) do it at the last minute or 2) read the info in this book which involves a drip of invertase sugar per pound of fondant, which would mean I'd have enough invertase sugar, once purchased, for the remainder of the century.

Any other ideas? Or should I just eat these things as is? They would make nice gifts senza ciocollata...

*edited by Wendy to correct your link

[Artistic Sugarworks]

This comes from Bruce Weinstein's "The Ultimate Candy Book"

Chocolate Cherries (Liquid Centers) with Variations

This is perhaps one of the most delicious candies ever invented, and also one of the most clichéd-a firm chocolate shell surrounding a maraschino cherry swimming in a sweet, syrupy filling. The secret to the liquid center lies in dipping the cherries twice. The first dipping is into melted fondant. The fondant hardens and the cherries are dipped again into melted chocolate. The fondant will then reliquefy after the chocolate hardens. Magic!

Makes about 60 cherries

•3 cups sugar

•1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

•1/4 cup light corn syrup

•60 maraschino cherries with stems (do not use fresh cherries)

•24 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

•Butter or margarine for greasing the pan and the cookie sheet

PREPARING FONDANT

1.Butter a 9 x 13" baking pan and set aside.

2.Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves & syrup boils.

3.Cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 F (soft ball).

4.Immediately pour into the prepped 9 X 13 pan. Let cool, undisturbed, until bottom of pan feels lukewarm to the touch.

5.Using a heavy wooden spoon, stir until it forms a ball. Some may stick to the pan. May also seize into a very hard ball that is impossible to stir. Seal in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag, remove as much air from the bag as possible. Let rest 1 minute.

6.With fondant still in the bag, roll with the heel of your hand, pressing down toward the counter. Continue this light kneading until it looks smooth and creamy and feels like firm cookie dough, about 10 minutes. Set aside, wrapped in bag and prepare cherries. Can be made up to a week ahead and kept well wrapped in the fridge.

FIRST DIP

1.Drain cherries, reserving the liquid. Place on paper towels to absorb excess liquid.

2.Butter a large sheet, line with wax paper and set aside.

3.Place fondant in top of a double boiler over simmering water. If you don't have a double boiler, use the medium bowl over a pot of simmering water method. Stir fondant until it melts. Insert candy thermometer in the melted fondant and continue stirring gently, until the fondant reaches 150 F. Turn off heat.

4.Stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved cherry liquid to give the fondant a pink color and a mild cherry flavor. Should temp. fall below 150 F, turn the heat on low and bring the water back to a simmer just until the fondant rises back to 150 F.

5.To dip, hold a cherry by the stem and quickly dip it into the melted fondant covering the cherry. Avoid getting any on the stem. Place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cherries until all are dipped. Stir the fondant occasionally. If fondant becomes too thick as you dip, add more cherry liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thinner consistency is reached. Set the dipped cherries aside while preparing the chocolate for dipping.

SECOND DIP

1.Melt 12 ounces of the semisweet chocolate in the top of a clean double boiler set over hot water.

2.When the chocolate has melted, remove the top part of the double boiler from the water. Add the remaining 12 ounces semisweet and stir until all chocolate is melted and smooth.

3.Insert a candy thermometer into melted chocolate. temperature should be 88 to 90 F. If too cold, place back over hot water until the temperature reaches 88 to 90 F. If too hot, let cool until temperature is reached.

4.Hold a covered cherry by the stem and dip it into the chocolate to cover the pink coating. Repeat until all are dipped. Stir chocolate occasionally.

5.Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Place in the refrigerator overnight, and chocolate will harden and the centers will liquefy.

6.Store in single layer in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

VARIATIONS

MILK CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Substitute 24 ounces milk chocolate for semisweet chocolate.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Substitute 24 ounces white chocolate for semisweet chocolate.

The following variations work with the base recipe or with either of the preceding chocolate variations.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Place a small piece of toasted almond inside each cherry before dipping.

Can also add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to the melted fondant before dipping.

SPICY CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Place a small piece of fresh jalapeno pepper inside each cherry before dipping.

SPIKED CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Drain the liquid from the jars of cherries. Refill the jars, covering the cherries with brandy, vodka,

or kirsch. Let soak at least 24 hours. Substitute the soaking alcohol for the cherry liquid in the directions.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Artistic Sugarworks (log)

[Michael M]

Thanks so much for the recipe! I also found one at the library tody advising to add glycerine and 36% acetic acid to the fondant in order to reliquify it. Anyone know why?

Have you made this before , Artistic Creations?

[K8memphis]

Michael, the invertase I used came in a teensy little half ounce bottle from CK's. I unashamedly used dry fondant mix too. I just added a bit of the cherry juice to the mix to make a dough. Then when I had everything ready I added two or three drops of the invertase to the fondant & that gave me like 90 minutes to get the cherries wrapped & dipped. It was fun.

My arm would fall off if I did it the other way where you stir that cooked fondant forever. And the invertase only took a couple days to break down the fondant. The invertase is only a couple bucks.

Next year I am going to make these in my bloodshot eyeball mold for Halloween

This is a good candy book.

[John DePaula]

This is a good candy book.

←

I second the recommendation for the book Candymaking by Ruth Kendrick.

It has a very "no-nonsense" approach to candy-making and it helped me with some problems I was having with caramels. Also has good section on chocolate covered cherries, fondant making, etc.

Highly-recommended.

[Michael M]

Michael, the invertase I used came in a teensy little half ounce bottle from CK's

Um...CK's is...? (Amateur status showing here)

[K8memphis]

Michael, the invertase I used came in a teensy little half ounce bottle from CK's

Um...CK's is...? (Amateur status showing here)

←

Country Kitchens brand. They are out of Indiana. Clickety here.

Also available in cake deco stores where candy supplies are sold.

[Wendy DeBord]

Although I haven't made the chocolate covered cherries from Ruth Kendricks book, there are a couple other recipes from that book I use and get rave reviews on. So I'll triple the suggestion of trying her recipe.

I have made chocolate covered cherried with-out a written recipe. It's not hard if you have access to purchased fondant (not rolling fondant). I pat my cherries dry, dip them in kirsh spiked fondant, let that air dry or chill them, then dip in chocolate. If I pat dry my cherries too much the fondant doesn't turn into liquid as much as I like.......so I dry them just enough to get it so the fondant will stick to the cherry. I also like to keep my fondant thick......... it gives you more liquid in the end. It takes about 3 weeks for them to be all liquid, so make these well in advance of when you need them.

[Trishiad]

Funny thing about that book, it doesn't cost a fortune, it doesn't claim to be high fashion, it doesn't even begin to touch on the elitism that most of the books I own seem to. And yet, I too, love it. It has basic, easy to follow recipes which are quite yummy. No fancy French techniques, just candy. I sell a product based on a recipe from that book that sells tremendously. I almost felt dirty when I made it the first time because it's not exactly innovative. The people can't get enough. Sometimes it's really best to keep it simple.

That said, I prefer a nice cherry in a creamy ganache to gooey fondant.

[Michael M]

It's not hard if you have access to purchased fondant (not rolling fondant).

←

Is it time-consuming to make? Or easier to purchase? Where would I go about purchasing it?

[K8memphis]

I unashamedly used dry fondant mix too. I just added a bit of the cherry juice to the mix to make a dough. Then when I had everything ready I added two or three drops of the invertase to the fondant & that gave me like 90 minutes to get the cherries wrapped & dipped. It was fun.

My arm would fall off if I did it the other way where you stir that cooked fondant forever. And the invertase only took a couple days to break down the fondant.

←

This is the kind I was referencing. I'm sure it is sold in many places. Like cake decorating stores.

[Michael M]

Update and a few questions:

It's now December, and I assemble the appropriate indredients, and have made a test batch based on everyone's input. This is what I did:

Poured in the dry fondant powder into a bowl (which said was for BC cherries, so it's the right type), mixed in some of the cherried brandy, mixed and massaged it into a dough. I took about 1/3 cup of this, melted it on a double broiler, added one drop of invertase, dipped just-barely-air-dried BC cherries, then let them air dry. Dipped those in tempered chocolate.

Now, how long do I wait to see if it's worked? I assume if I wait a month, they will liquify anyway (right?). But with the invertase...? I left the bowl of leftover fondant-with-invertase out to see if that would liquify, but it hasn't yet. OK, it's only been 45 minutes, but it's really hard still. Or will it not liquify when exposed to the open air?

Do I sound like an impatient child or an impatient artiste?

[Michael M]

I should add that the fondant, melted, was the viscosity of...warm honey. Maybe that was too thick? Should it be more like...warm maple syrup?

[Wendy DeBord]

It took a couple weeks (2 1/2 to 3) for mine to melt out well. I'd eat one every day in excitement waiting for them to turn to liquid. Waiting, is the hardest part of making these.

[K8memphis]

Mine were meltalicious in three days max--dude, you made enough to test religiously didncha???

I just used mine like a dough and wrapped my cherries up then dipped--I used like 2-3 drops of invertase.

In fact, I never put in the captions and this is just how I do it but clickety here. It worked

Edited December 12, 2005 by K8memphis (log)

[Michael M]

Mine were meltalicious in three days max--dude, you made enough to test religiously didncha??? 

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Absolutely! In fact, after making a test batch, I went ahead and made the rest the next day, with enough to taste along the way. I'll start testing in 3 days, then. Yum!

Oh, yes, and will report back, of course, post-prandially.