Chocolate Covered Cherry Puff Corn Recipes

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
• In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.
• Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Place 1 bag popcorn in the microwave; cook on high until popping begins to slow down, about 2 1/2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bags. Open bags carefully; divide popcorn between 2 shallow baking dishes. Mix in peanuts.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Combine brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring enough to blend. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla extract and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.
• Pour brown sugar mixture over the popcorn-peanut mixture; stir to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 25 minutes, until a cooled piece of popcorn is crunchy, about 1 hour.
• Line a flat work surface with waxed paper. Pour popcorn onto the waxed paper. Break up any large clusters.
• Melt chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour into a resealable plastic bag; snip off 1 corner. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Let popcorn cool completely.