Chocolate Covered Cherries

It seemed like a good project for a Tuesday night in Iowa. Make chocolate covered cherries - a yummy holiday treat.

The process is a simple one (or is a simple one when appropriately scaled) start with 200 marschino cherries with stems in (this is where the scale gets a wee bit out of proportion). Drain the cherries from their juice and let dry on paper towels.

While the cherries are draining, prepare the fondant wrapping for the cherries. The sugar mixture is created by combining powdered sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Blend well and roll into a ball.

Once the cherries are dry, individually wrap each cherry with 1 teaspoon of the fondant (roll fondant into a small ball, flatten and wrap). Repeat this process. Repeat this process. Repeat this process. Crikey! Repeat this process 200 times.

Remember I said the scale was a little out of proportion? That might have been an understatement. Individually wrapping each cherry takes a little bit of time, especially when the process is impeeded by returning text messages to someone.

Now back to the kitchen...

Once the cherries are wrapped in white sugar goodness, the chocolate is prepared and the dipping begins. Dip. Dip. Dip. Dip. Crikey! Repeat this process 200 times. Again, the process is slowed when one decides to return a message with a phone call instead of a text message.

Several hours after the process began, the cherries are lined up like soldiers ready to wait in the artic cold of the refrigerator until they are fully ripened. In a mere 2-3 weeks, the solid sugar coating will be magically transformed (it's practically chemistry!) into a gooey divine cherry center. This is, afterall, a dessert that reminds the young child in us all that good things do come to those who wait.