Chocolate Cherry Heart Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY HEART PIE / CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Allow both crust pouches to stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove one crust from a pouch and unfold. Press to smooth the fold lines.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour over the crust. Lay the crust, floured side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Using a paper pattern as a guide, cut the crust into a heart shape. Prick the crust all over with a fork.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.
• Repeat with the remaining crust so that you have 2 heart-shaped crusts.
• Combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and almond extract and beat in an electric mixer set on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth.
• Add the heavy cream and beat until thick.
• To assemble, place one heart-shaped pie crust on a serving plate and spread with 1/3 cup hot fudge.
• Carefully spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the hot fudge. Spoon two thirds of the cherry pie filling over cream cheese.
• Spread second crust with remaining hot fudge and set on top of the cake, fudge side up.
• Then gently spread the remaining cream cheese mixture and cherry pie filling, leaving about a 1-inch border on the top.
• Decorate with cream cheese mixed with cherry juice or the liquidy (jelled) part of pie filling and whole or half cherries.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
• Note: To make pattern, cut a piece of paper into a heart shape about 10 1/2 inches high and 10 inches wide.
• Source: FamilyTime.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Grease and flour 13x9-inch pan.
• In large bowl, combine cake mix, pie filling almond extract and eggs; stir until blended.
• Spread in greased and floured pan.
• Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• In small saucepan, combine sugar, milk and margarine.
• Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until smooth.
• Pour and spread over warm bars.
• Cool completely and cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and cocoa; set aside.
• Beat butter in a med bowl on med speed until softened.
• Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Beat until well mixed.
• Beat in egg and vanilla, scraping the side of the bowl.
• Gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2-inches apart on an ungreased cooking sheet.
• Press down the centers with your thumb.
• Drain cherries, reserving juice.
• Place a cherry in the center of each cookie in the depression you made with your thumb.
• Combine chocolate pieces and condensed milk in a small saucepan.
• Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted.
• Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate and milk mixture over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
• If the frosting is too thick, thin with additional cherry juice.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until edges of cookie is firm.
• Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.
• Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY JAM

Steps:

• Pit the cherries if necessary, then chop them up. Crush the remains thoroughly, 1 cup at a time. If using frozen berries, use both liquid and solids; they all were part of the original fresh berry. Measure 6 cups of crushed fruit into 6- or 8-quart heavy saucepan. Break the chocolate squares into smaller pieces and add them to saucepan.
• Measure sugar into separate bowl. Mix 1/4 cup sugar from measured amount with pectin in small bowl. Stir pectin-sugar mixture into fruit in saucepan. Add butter. Bring quickly to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam and ladle into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process 10 minutes in boiling water canner.