Choc Peanut Fondants With Chocolate Soil Cherries Recipes

CHERRY PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. , Pat cherries dry with paper towel. Dust hands with additional confectioners' sugar. Wrap each cherry with a rounded tablespoon full of peanut butter mixture; shape into a ball. (Peanut butter mixture may need to be refrigerated occasionally while rolling cherries.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT TREATS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Stir in sugar and peanut butter. Press into a greased 8-in. square pan. , In a microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Spread over peanut butter layer. Chill 30 minutes; cut into squares. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes longer. Store in the refrigerator.

FONDANT FOR CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Steps:

• Sift confectioners' sugar several times into a bowl to eliminate all lumps.
• Beat butter, corn syrup, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the sifted confectioners' sugar until thoroughly incorporated.
• Turn fondant out onto a work surface generously dusted with confectioners' sugar. Knead until smooth and workable, 5 minutes; cut dough in half. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter (use 50g in total) all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.
• Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt 200g good-quality dark chocolate and 200g butter, both chopped into small pieces, together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.
• In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g golden caster sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
• Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.
• Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.
• Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.
• Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.
• Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk and extract. Knead until smooth and pliable. Shape into 1-in. balls and flatten each into a 2-in. circle. , Wrap one circle around each cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. , In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding on to the stems, dip cherries into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate 1-2 weeks before serving.

CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray on the middle shelf. Brush the inside of 5 dariole or pudding moulds with the melted butter, then put the cocoa in one and turn it to coat the inside, holding it over the second mould to catch any that escapes. Repeat with the other moulds.
• Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. allow to cool slightly.
• Using electric beaters, whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and moussey (the mixture should almost double in volume), this will take 3-4 mins. Gently fold in the melted chocolate and butter, and then the flour, being careful not to knock out too much air. Spoon into the prepared moulds, stopping just shy of the top. Chill for at least 1 hr.
• Put on a hot baking tray and cook for 12-14 mins until the tops are set and coming away from the sides of the moulds. Stand for 30 secs, then serve in the moulds or turn out onto plates. Great with clotted cream or plain ice cream.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the peanuts, chocolate chips and peanut butter cups., Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.