National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day: Chocolate Covered Cherries

Today is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day. When I was growing up, I always wanted the chocolate covered cherry in the Whitman Sampler Box. As I remember they were usually covered with milk chocolate, but I'm a dark chocolate fan. Here are two simple and easy recipes for Chocolate Covered Cherries to celebrate the day. If you don't have fresh cherries --well it's winter here in the Bay Area, and I like to buy local produce--you can use maraschino cherries. Just be sure to dry the maraschino cherries thoroughly. If you're using the maraschino cherries, save the juice from the jar to make the Chocolate Covered Cherry Cocktail at the end of this post! Either of these recipes would be great for Valentine's Day, so bookmark this page!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Personally I like dark chocolate with cherries, but if you're a milk chocolate fan, go for it! As always, use the very best quality, organic, fair trade chocolate!  Hint: If the melted chocolate starts to harden  before you’re done dipping, put it into the microwave for a few seconds and then give it a good stir.

8 ounces of semi-sweet dark chocolate
1/2  pound of fresh, sweet cherries  (* for maraschino cherries, see below)

Wash and dry cherries.
Line a platter with parchment or wax paper.
Melt the chocolate in the top of a doubleboiler or in a saucepan over a saucepan that has boiling water (turned down when you add the chocolate).
Stir the chocolate constantly until it is completely melted and smooth.
Remove the chocolate from the heat.
Grab each cherry by its stem and dip into the chocolate. Swirl the cherry clockwise, coating the bottom 3/4.  It's always nice to see the cherry showing at the top.
Place the cherry on the parchment paper covered platter.
Repeat with the remaining cherries.
Place platter in refrigerator until chocolate hardens.
If not eating right away, put chocolate covered cherries in a covered container and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days.

You can use  the above recipe with maraschino cherries. Just be sure and dry the cherries thoroughly before dipping.

Feel like something alcoholic to celebrate National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day? Try this. Yum!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cocktail

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1/2 ounce Bailey's, 1/2 ounce Kahlua. Add a few drops maraschino cherry juice. Shake. Strain into another glass with ice. Add a Chocolate Covered Maraschino Cherry for garnish!