Chocolates with Cherries

Making candy with your own hands – what could be more interesting? Imagine how much joy it will give the children! Especially on New Year’s and Christmas days. And if you manage to decorate the chocolates with the finest edible gold leaf (there is such a thing!), They will look like Christmas tree decorations and turn into an exceptional, even exclusive, festive delicacy!

Ingredients

• Black chocolate – 200 g
• Sour cream or cream cheese – ½ cup (120 g)
• Candied cherries – 22 pcs.
• Almond cookies with coconut, chopped – 180 g
• Powdered sugar – 60 g
• Cocoa powder – 45 g
• Unsalted butter, melted, slightly chilled – 90 g
• Dark rum – 2 tbsp
• Coconut flakes – ¾ cup (60 g)
• For the chocolate glaze:
• Dark chocolate – 250 g
• Unsalted butter – 125 g
• Chocolate chips or gold leaf for garnish

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate and cream cheese or sour cream over low heat until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Coat the cherries with a chocolate-cream mixture – 1 teaspoon each berry (this procedure may require some skill, as the chocolate will melt in your hands). Place the cherries on a lined surface with baking paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Combine crushed biscuits, powdered sugar, and cocoa. Stir in butter (unsalted, melted, slightly chilled) rum, coconut. Spread this mixture over the cherries (also 1 teaspoon each), completely covering the “chocolate” surface. Place in the refrigerator again for half an hour to set.
4. For the glaze, melt the chocolate and butter and 50 ml of water, stirring occasionally, over low heat. Cook until thick.
5. Using a fork or skewer, dip the candies completely into the icing. And, putting it back on paper, cool it completely until the glaze hardens.
6. You can leave the candy as it is. Or garnish them with chocolate chips. Or you can apply pieces of gold leaf with a brush. Sweets are stored in a tightly closed container for a long time.