Chocolate covered cherries are a holiday favorite and they’re fairly easy to make at home as well. Here’s our favorite liquid center chocolate covered cherries recipe.
The trick to these delicious confections is to allow them to ripen for about 2 weeks so the centers have time to completely liquefy, otherwise, you’ll have more of a fondant cream center consistency.
How to Achieve a Clear Liquid Center
There are a couple of different ways to achieve a clear syrupy liquid center. It can be achieved by adding invertase, which is an enzyme that liquefies the sugar. Invertase works by splitting sucrose into two parts, fructose and glucose by hydrolyzing the bond between the two.
This is how bees are able to break raw nectar down into honey. Chemically speaking, invertase is derived from bees or yeast and is also naturally produced in our saliva.
Invertase can be purchased in candy making supply shops or online. Alternatively, the cherries can be soaked in rum or brandy, which will also produce a mostly clear center (after 2 weeks of curing).
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials
First, prepare the fondant mixture that will become the delicious liquified cherry cordial. In a medium bowl combine butter, confectioners sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cherry juice, almond extract, and invertase (or rum), mixing well. This creates the fondant that the chocolate covered cherry cordials will rest in until they liquefy.
In a double boiler or chocolate melting pot, mix the chocolate chips, unsweetened bakers chocolate and shortening until smooth. If using a double boiler, this should be done over low/med heat and the chocolate should be properly tempered. Failure to do so will result in chocolate bloom. Chocolate bloom is when a white coating appears on the surface of the chocolate. It’s caused by the changes in fat crystals in the chocolate. It can also be caused when moisture evaporates and leaves a gritty surface of sugar crystals.
Temper the Chocolate
Tempering chocolate is achieved by melting solid chocolate high enough to break down the crystals in the cocoa butter. If you’re not familiar with tempering chocolate, it means that you warm chocolate over hot water (not boiling water), stirring constantly until the chocolate reaches between 110°F-115°F, then remove from heat and allow the chocolate to cool to 95°F-100°F. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until melted.
Add a small amount of chocolate to each mold, spreading to the top using a candy paintbrush.
Allow it to harden for a few minutes, then add a bit of the fondant filling to each chocolate cavity of the chocolate bon-bon mold.
Press a maraschino cherry into the fondant.
Finally, spoon some of the melted chocolate over the top, sealing each cherry. Transfer the mold into the fridge until the chocolate sets. Unmold.
Place in a very cool spot for a couple of weeks to set. They can be eaten right away, however, it will take approximately 2 weeks for the centers to completely liquefy to clear liquid fluid.)
If you’d like to prepare these cherries without a mold, you will need to find Stemmed Maraschino cherries. Roll out the fondant, cut into small squares, wrap the entire cherry. Dip in the chocolate as directed above. Let set until semi-firm, dip a second time. Allow the cordials to set at least one week to fully liquefy the centers.
There are a couple of ways that you can test to see if the chocolates are ready. You can sample one every day, starting after a week or so, which is certainly yummy. Alternatively, simply place a cherry and a teaspoon of the fondant in a very small bowl or shot glass and cover it tightly. Check it daily to see when the filling inside has liquified completely.
The chocolate covered cherry molds are available online, but I highly recommend that you ensure the dimensions of the cavity is 1″ deep. The molds that are only 3/4″ deep aren’t quite deep enough to get enough fondant inside.
Liquid Center Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
You’ll Need:
2 Tbs Butter, melted
2 Jars Maraschino Cherries drained & Juice Reserved
1 lb Confectioners Sugar
2 tsp. Almond Extract
1 Tbs. Maraschino Cherry Juice
1/3 of a Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 tsp invertase OR 2 Tablespoons of Rum
Chocolate Dip:
1 – 12 oz pkg Nestle Toll House Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 oz Unsweetened Bakers chocolate
3 Tbs. Crisco shortening
- Mix butter, confectioners sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cherry juice, almond extract & rum to make a fondant filling, set aside.
- In a double boiler or chocolate melting pot, mix the chocolate chips, bakers chocolate and shortening until smooth. Temper the chocolate.
- Add a small amount of chocolate to each mold, spreading to the top using a candy paintbrush. Allow it to harden for 3 minutes.
- Add 1/2 tsp fondant filling to each chocolate cavity of the chocolate bon-bon mold. Press a maraschino cherry into the fondant.
- Spoon chocolate over the top, sealing each cherry. Place in the fridge until set, about 10 minutes.
- Unmold, then transfer to a covered container between layers of wax paper.
- Rest, untouched in a cool spot for 10-14 days to allow the centers to fully liquefy.
If you’d like to prepare these cherries without a mold, you will need to find stemmed Maraschino cherries. Roll out the fondant, cut into small squares, wrap the entire cherry. Or mold it with your fingers around each cherry. Dip in the chocolate as directed above. Let set until semi-firm, dip a second time. Let Cherries set 2 weeks to fully liquefy the centers.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / DreamBigPhotos
i can’t read the whole recipe
I’m not sure what you mean, the entire recipe is there. . . could you be more specific? What browser are you using? What’s your screen resolution?
Thanks for fixing it. I can read it now.
Hi TX, sometimes if you are unable to see the full recipe, scroll to the bottom (just above the comment box) and slide the scroll bar to the right. This is an error we recently discovered between google ads & tables (which is how we format the recipes cleanly.) It only occurs in certain browsers and versions, so it’s difficult to pinpoint a fix at this time.
hi ….. looks like a good recipe but i don’t know what it means to temper the chocolate. i also don’t know what it means to have it bloom.
could you please comment on those things?
thanks jac
This video will show you how to “temper” chocolate; it’s just a matter of melting it properly – Temper Chocolate – How to Temper Chocolate Video
“Bloom” is the whitish color you sometimes see on chocolate – either it has been heated and hardened without proper tempering, it melted in your car and cooled down. Or it could be caused by excess moisture. I’ve seen it on chocolate that has been refrigerated.
It’s safe to eat or use in a recipe. Hope this helps.
my dad loves these and he will love it even more since the children will make them for him.
i love these, but hate the price. thank you.
my favorite and my 89 yr old mother’s also. I’ve ordered the molds from Amazon. I am a prime member so got free two day shipping.
Cannot wait to try the recipe and send some to mom. We both love the clear liquid centers.
we love these! its just hard waiting till christmas to get them. :cloud9: gonna make these
when my daughter was in grammar school i made these for one of her teachers. he liked them so much i still had to make them all the way through high school.
can’t wait to try these for my sister. she loves them.
this looks so simple and delicious. i will be ordering the cordial maker trays soon and i can’t wait to try these.
I am totally geeked about this recipe. I look forward each year at Christmas having Chocolate Covered Cherries. I especially like the liquid centered ones.
I will be making these not only for me, but for gifts as well. Thanks so much, for your clear directions.
Hugs, Stormie
what??!? does this mean i’ll have to figure out how to be reasonable now that i have the powahhhhhhh to make em my self?
OOh Engowah da elf has got da Powah, ooh EnGow-ahhh Da elf has got the pow-ah .. lol.. sorry had to sing it after that last comment. I expected to see she was from Maine with that Yankee looking accent (powaaaaaah). haha
i made these using cherry pie filling, i would drop the cherry on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freez, then i would dip in melted chocolate chips. i used tooth picks to handle the cherries with, any way i put them back in freezer afterthey were dipped until they set, yummy
i’d love to try this version. my boyfriend loves the pie filling in his cheesecake, and he loves cordial cherries, but i don’t have all the tools or ingredients to do the myo recipe for cheap. i may try your version.
These look great! Will try!
Hi at all,
I’m from Germany and have a little problem with the recipe because of the quantities.
How much is a T.?
Is it a tablespoon or a teaspoon or something completely different?
and the tsp.?
how much is in a “can sweetened condensed milk”
please can somebody help me?
thanks!
greetings gabi
gabi,
a tbls or tablespoon is made of 3 tsp or 3 teaspoons. A tsp is approximately 5mL.
I do not have a can of condensed milk at this time, so I can’t help with that part.
Best of luck!
Linda
a Capital T is always Tablespoon. It can also be abbreviated Tbs or Tbsp
a Lowercase t is Always Teaspoon, which can also be abbreviate tsp or ts
a can of sweetened condensed milk is 14 oz, but you can make your own if its not something that is available in your area:
https://www.budget101.com/content.php/1531-MYO-Sweetened-Condensed-Milk
So – don’t know how this recipe worked for everyone else, but I made these 2 weeks before Christmas, thinking they would be perfect at just the right time. The centres still haven’t liquefied. It’s too bad, because they are not cheap to make and I can’t buy store bought because of my family’s food allergies.
I’ve made these for the last 2 years and ours always turn completely liquid. What brand of powdered sugar did you use? I’ve heard that some brands don’t dissolve properly.
You can tell if yours does by taking a tablespoon or so of the powdered sugar and adding 2 tsp of water. If it turns clear when you stir it, it will liquify. If it stays milky and fondant looking- it wont.
Hope that helps
Question what do I do if I only want the liquid center, not the fondant filling, what would I have to change?
These are Liquid Center, they take a couple weeks to cure.
I’m looking for them to turn out like Cella cherries not the Queen Anne.
How do you fill the bottoms? Do the sit for 14 days the you fill them. I know you unmold them 1st. I’m assuming you use the same type of chocolate as you do the molds.
Spoon chocolate over the top, sealing each cherry. Place in the fridge until set, about 10 minutes.
Unmold.
Place in very cool spot for 10-14 days to set.
(They can be eaten right away, however, it will take approximately 2 weeks for the centers to completely liquefy to a clear liquid fluid.)
Could I use Amaretto instead of rum?
Absolutely!
How to get the to unmold mine are all breaking at the spot where they would have fused with the top and bottom together.
Hi! Can dry fondant be used instead of the confectioners sugar? I’ve read that due to the cornstarch in confectioners sugar the texture can be gritty/grainy. Or it doesn’t matter as the invertase will liquify everything?
I’ve never tried dry fondant, so I don’t know how well that it would work. If you try it, I’d love to hear your feedback! Regarding the cornstarch in confectioners sugar, very few brands add cornstarch, it’s listed in the ingredients, so be sure to check. Alternatively, you can make your own powdered sugar by pulsing regular sugar in a blender or food processor in short bursts. Be sure to use short bursts to avoid overheating the motor of your small appliance.
Can I use coconut oil instead of shortening? I prefer avoiding hydogenized oils.
The melting point of coconut oil is generally quoted as being 76 degrees F therefore, Coconut oil is not recommended. For comparison, the melting Point of Shortening is 117º F.
I love your recipe. It was very simple and straight-forward. I did find a problem with the quantity of invertase however. There was a very strong chemical taste that overpowered the cherry flavor! I’m going to make them again and cut the invertase in half. Hopefully it will still liquefy. I’ve made cordial cherries many times before but always with alcohol. This is my first time with invertase. Wish me luck!
Sandy, it might be worth double checking the Invertase itself to see if the bottle is bad. I just shook mine up and dipped a toothpick in and tasted it and it doesn’t have much of a taste on its own a very very slight (almost) bitterness for a split second and then no flavor at all in fact.
Hi, can you tell me how many candies this will make?
Thanks
Could I use vanilla instead of the almond? Unless it’s best with the almond. Thanks
The almond enhances the flavor of the cherry, I think the vanilla may be a bit too bland. But it never hurts to try something new, You could always divide the filling into halves or thirds and then add the extract to test it out to see which you like better.
Why does this recipe call for sweetened condensed milk bit other recipes do not. Also none of the other recipes call for Invertase and they seem to do just fine.