Happy 4th to everyone celebrating today! I hope it’s possible for you to have a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends. To everyone else: Happy Sunday! We’re in Mallorca at the Moment and I could not be happier! It’s so good to be back! Especially since it’s grey and rainy in Berlin. How’s that for Schadenfreude? 😂
I don’t have anything red, white or blue for you today, but I do have a delicious, not too sweet summer snack that you’re going to want to save! Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries. Good quality dark chocolate (I only use Lindt!) and black cherries are just one of those matches made in food heaven, don’t you think?
These have just two ingredients, are super simple to make and have a lovely snap to the chocolate due to an easy tempering trick. I lay no claim to being a chocolate tempering expert, but this method works a charm for me, no candy thermometer needed. I love keeping them in the fridge, which is the perfect place for them to be kept as a cold, juicy, semi-healthy and entirely delicious mid-afternoon or after dinner treat.
xoxo Donata
Ingredients
1/2 pound black sweet cherries, stems on (about 40 to 50 cherries)
7 oz (200 g) mild dark chocolate (I used Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa), separated
Directions
Wash the cherries and pat completely dry.
Prepare a large flat plate, tray or baking sheet with baking or parchment paper. Definitely test it to see whether it will fit in your fridge! You don’t want to have to transfer the cherries after dipping them.
Chop half of the chocolate into small pieces. Set aside in one bowl.
Chop the second half of the chocolate into small pieces and set aside in another bowl.
Prepare a double boiler: a pot of hot water with another pot or a metal bowl fitted into it. Make sure that the top pot or bowl is not touching the hot water. Place one half of the chopped chocolate into the top pot or bowl. Melt over the hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. When the chocolate is completely melted, remove from the double boiler and place on a heatproof surface. Watch out that no water touches the chocolate!
Let the chocolate cool for about two minutes, stirring from time to time. Now add the second half of the chopped chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir until completely melted. The chocolate is now ready for dipping. Tip the pot to the side so you have a deeper dipping pool. Lay your plate, tray or baking sheet right next to the pot so you have it ready.
Take the cherry by the stem and dip three quarters into the chocolate. Raise and lower the cherry a few times to make the chocolate adhere properly so it won’t slide off. Let the excess drip off and place onto the parchment paper to set.
Repeat with the remaining cherries.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
