Chocolate Cherry Bonbons: Daryl Wood Gerber

I love when my mystery and chocolate worlds collide! Today I welcome back Daryl Wood Gerber. Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, set in the fictional coastal town of Crystal Cove, California. As AVERY AAMES, she also writes the Cheese Shop Mysteries, set in quaint Providence, Ohio. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote”. She is married, loves to cook, and has a darling, frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky. Visit Daryl or Avery at www.darylwoodgerber.com.

Giveaway: Comment below about your favorite chocolate or favorite chocolate cookbook to win a copy of Fudging the Books by Daryl Wood Gerber. Comments must be posted by July 31. Be sure and post your email address. Winner picked from random generated number.

Daryl Wood Gerber:
Chocolate Cherry Bonbons 

In the opening chapter of FUDGING THE BOOKS, there is a mention of chocolate cherry bonbons. One of my fans read the excerpt I posted on my website and said, “Boy, I hope that recipe is in the book.” Well, it’s not, but it’s right here! I thought that this blog would be the perfect place to share it first, pre-release of FUDGING THE BOOKS.

When I write A Cookbook Nook Mystery, I try to include all sorts of delectable cookbook titles and food. After all, foodies are my readers. However, I must admit that sometimes I dream up menus and foods because that’s what I want to eat at the time, and I don’t have all the recipes. It’s sort of a wish list. Uh-oh. I have now learned that I had better have a good idea of what goes into each recipe because fans want to know how to make them! In fact, when I wrote the very first Cheese Shop Mystery, a fan asked for a copy of my five-cheese mac ‘n cheese recipe. I whipped that baby up in a matter of an hour and shared it with her, and it went viral. I hope this bonbon recipe will go viral, too.

It’s so easy. Just a few steps. Which means my protagonist Jenna Hart, an avid reader, foodie, and former ad executive who has come home to Crystal Cove to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop and café, can make them. See, Jenna isn’t much of a cook—her mother did all the cooking when she was growing up—but she’s learning, one easy recipe at a time.

I hope you’ll join her on her journey as she settles into Crystal Cove. She’s learning how to cook while solving a few crimes along the way.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BONBONS 

Ingredients: 
1-5 oz. bag dried cherries
3 Tbsp chocolate chips
1 Tbsp cocoa
1Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp coconut flour extra cocoa for coating (about 4 Tbsp)

Directions:
Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Process for about 1 minute. It will still appear that there are hard “chocolate chip” chunks in the mixture, but when you scoop out the mixture, it will be a sticky paste. That’s good.
Roll the mixture into 10-12 walnut-sized balls and set them on parchment paper. Remember to smooth them by rolling between your palms.
Then put the extra cocoa into a shallow bowl, and roll each ball in the cocoa. Shake off the excess cocoa.
Note: This can get messy, but it’s fun! You can eat these right away, or set them into the refrigerator to let them get firm. They'll keep in the refrigerator for at least a week, maybe more…if you can resist!