If you love chocolate, and cherries, this is the perfect recipe for your next event.

The first step when making cherry cordials is to soak the cherries in cherry brandy. You can find the directions at my previous post – How to Make Spiked Cherry Cordials – Soak in Kirsch

Next we cover them in fondant. I thought about using purchased fondant, and it should work just as well. But I couldn’t get past all the additives. I was using high quality cherries from Northwest Cherry Growers, and wanted the other ingredients to be high quality too. So I made my own fondant. Luckily it isn’t difficult.

Make the Fondant

1. Drain the cherries, and gently wipe them mostly dry with a paper towel.
2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine the following in a medium pan and stir to combine:
   • 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
   • ½ cup water
   • ¼ cup light corn syrup
4. Rub some butter along the top inside lip of the pan so the mixture doesn’t boil over – just like when making jam.
5. Place over medium-high heat and let cook until it reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees). DO NOT stir while cooking.
6. Remove from heat, and pour into the bowl of a food processor. Let cool until 150 degrees. You can add food coloring and flavoring if desired at this point.
7. Process for 1-3 minutes or until the mixture becomes opaque.
8. Pour into a bowl.
9. Dip each cherry into the bowl, then set on the baking sheet.

If the fondant starts to harden, heat it in the microwave for about 40 seconds at a time, or until it returns to dipping consistency.

See the Other Steps

Dipping in Chocolate

Soaking in Kirsch

Full disclosure: This recipe was made with cherries I received from Northwest Cherry Growers.