Chocolate covered cherries

Cherries are always the perfect match for chocolate, and here's one recipe called Chocolate covered cherries

Ingredients

60 maraschino cherries with stems
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons corn syrup
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 pound chocolate confectioners' coating

Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.

In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.

Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.

Chocolate Pecans Truffles

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted, divided
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Place 24 small foil candy cups in miniature muffin cups or on a baking sheet. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon pecans into each; set cups and remaining pecans aside.

In a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave at 50% power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in cream and extract. Beat with an electric mixer until slightly thickened, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Immediately pour into prepared cups. Top with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until set.

Simple Dark Chocolate Candy Recipe

Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters

* 1 3/4 cup shredded or flaked coconut (sweetened)
* 7 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate

1. Set your oven to 325 degrees. Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast for about 3-5 minutes until golden. Stir every minute. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Melt and temper the chocolate. Add the toasted coconut to the tempered chocolate, and stir to coat it completely.

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper lined baking sheet. Allow to set at room temperature or chill in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

3. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (Clusters can be frozen for about 2 months).

You can also substitute the coconut with nuts, raisins, or a combination of the three.

Simple Chocolate Candy Recipe Using Cocoa Powder

Do you know that you can also make chocolate candy using cocoa powder? Here is one very simple Chocolate Candy recipe using cocoa powder.

Chocolate Candy

* 3 cups sugar
* 3 cups milk
* 5 tablespoons cocoa
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine the sugar, milk, and cocoa in a saucepan and bring it to the boil while stirring. Boil until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage at 234-240 degrees F.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until mixture is creamy. Pour onto a buttered tray and allow to cool.

Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

How to Make Multicolored Chocolate Candies

To make intricate multicolored candies, buy different colors of confectionery coating and some small food-safe paintbrushes.

Paint one color at a time onto the surface of the mold and allow it to harden before proceeding with the next color.

Once each color has hardened, fill the mold with whatever color of chocolate you like.

Beginners: Filling the Molds

Step by step on how to fill the molds:

* Fill each mold slowly with a squeeze bottle, spoon, or by pouring chocolate from a measuring cup.

* Using your palette knife or spatula, scrape off any excess chocolate into a clean bowl; it can be gently warmed and reused.

* When the back of the mold is smooth and even, gently tap the tray of chocolates on the countertop to pop any air bubbles.

* If you're making lollipops, insert the sticks, twisting gently so that they're completely coated with chocolate.

* To make the chocolate harden quickly, put it in the freezer for a few minutes.

* Once the chocolate is firm enough come out of the mold, invert the entire mold onto a clean towel and twist very gently to release the chocolates.

Do's and Don'ts when melting chocolate

What you should aware of When melting chocolate or confectionery coating:

Don'ts
* Never let water or other liquid to come into contact with it, it may "seize"

* Do not allow it to get too hot. Excess heat will both cause the chocolate to separate, rendering it unusable.

Do's
Check the temperature of the chocolate by dabbing a small amount of it on your lip or the inside of your wrist. It should feel warm, not hot.

If you're using a large block of chocolate, chop it into small pieces so that it melts evenly. The easiest way to do this is on a cutting board, using a serrated knife.