Sunday, December 5, 2010

Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars

Here is another Christmas cookie
recipe for you to enjoy. 



For Chocolate Covered Cherry lovers,
this is the ultimate cookie.  A chocolate shortbread layer
topped with a fondant like filling, a sweet maraschino
cherry and finished off with a layer of silky chocolate.

I dip a lot of chocolates at Christmas, as a matter of
fact we do a lot more chocolates than we do cookies.

Tomorrow I will start making chocolate centers and
then dip on Tuesday.  Everyone wants in on the act
now that they are grown up.

I used to start in October, but we ate them, then I
would do more in November, but we ate them,
then I had to do more.  Now I wait until the
first week of December!



(This is the little machine I bought for dipping chocolates -  "a few
of my favorite things".  I will tell you all about that."


We love to dip chocolate covered cherries but
they are quite involved and
this little layered cookie gives a lot of the same
taste.  I have included this recipe for those who love
the taste but don't want to go to all of the effort.
I bet this would also be delicious with a raspberry
 although I have never tried that.



The chocolate cookie base is cooked and cooled and then
the fondant is spread on top, followed by drained cherries.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars Recipe

Base:
1 C. flour
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/4 C. sugar
2 T. cocoa

Mix the above ingredients together in a mixer bowl and
beat on low until it forms a soft dough.  Press into an
ungreased 8x8 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Remove and let cool completely.

Fondant:
2 C. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, softened
2 T. milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Whip the above ingredients together in mixing bowl.
Spread on top of the cooled chocolate base.

Drain and wipe dry 36 maraschino cherries.  Arrange
the cherries in six rows of six, pressing down a little
into the fondant.

Chocolate Covering
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

Place chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat for 30 seconds, stir whether it looks like it needs
stirring or not.  Melt again for 30 seconds.  Stir again.
Melt again for 20 seconds, stirring again and letting
the chocolate melt as you stir.  Do not overheat.

Spoon the chocolate on top of the cherries.  It will
puddle around the cherries and fill in so that all of the
fondant is covered.  Push it into place if needed to
cover all of the fondant. 

Chill one hour before trying to cut.  To cut, use a
knife run under hot water and wiped off to make a
sharp cut.




Hope all you chocolate covered cherry lovers give
this recipe a try. 

I will be posting this cookie with



19 comments:

  1. Wauwwwwwww....look at that..............amazing.............so yammie.........love it.....lovely day warm hugs from me Ria....

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  2. If only I were a neighbor....I received the gift card yesterday, thank you so much! Today I want to look online at Macys, I'm thinking Christmas something..but maybe I want a chocolate tempering machine!

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  3. Oh doesn't this just look like Christmas on a platter! Definitely an "oh, ah" dessert:@)

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  4. Oh man! I love chocolate covered cherries & shortbread. I am drooling right now just looking at this. I would love for you to stop by Wiccan Make Some Too's Wickedly Crafty Saturdays & share this!
    http://wiccanmakesometoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/wickedly-crafty-saturdays-3.html

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  5. Yum!!! These sound and look delicious. I love cherries and chocolate too. That's one perfect cookie to try!

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  6. Nothing like chocolates to really ring in the holidays. These look fantastic and I bet they make great gifts.

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  7. I will definitely be making some of these this Christmas! I made your Creme de Menthe bars and they were a huge hit! Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes!!

    ~Trisha

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  8. oh my goodness! These look amazing!

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  9. This sounds so yummy! Now you have aroused my interest in the chocolate thing-a-ma-jiggie....I want to know more about it and your candy.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Barb

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  10. Jacqueline, These look fabulous! This recipe is going on my baking list for Christmas.
    xo,
    Sherry

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  11. Yumm, chocolate covered cherries in a cookie?!?!?!?! Thanks so much for being a part of Seasonal Sundays!

    - The Tablescaper

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  12. YUM! These look AMAZING and delicious!!

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  13. I always would get a box of chocolate-covered cherries from my mother on Christmas morning in my stocking ;) Great memories and and these sound much better!

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  14. These are beautiful - what a perfect baked gift idea!

    I would love you to join me at This Week's Cravings! www.frommytinykitchen.blogspot.com

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  15. What a joy to share. I'm taking tiny virtual bites!

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  16. These look delicious! All of my favorite things rolled into one, and so beautifully presented.

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  17. One of my daughters just LOVES chocolate covered cherries, so I know these would be a hit with her!

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  18. These really look special. I'll have to give them a try. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  19. These cookies look and sound amazing. I would love it if you came to link to my holiday recipe swap blog hop. It is my first ever! Love these recipes.
    www.mythirtyspot.com
    -Erin Kennedy

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