I love dreaming up special sweets for Valentine’s Day. these cherry cordial bites are such a fun little bite for a valentine’s get-together or to package and gift to teachers, neighbors or friends. They utilize either fresh or frozen dark cherries, chocolate, maple syrup and cashew butter for a delicious caramel-tasting filling.
the inspiration:
these were inspired by classic cherry cordials usually consisting of a maraschino cherry encased with fondant and dipped in a hard chocolate shell. this are a healthier version- that taste equally as decadent. this nostalgic treat reminds me of my grandmother who loved sweet treats. we would stop at the lammes candy on airport blvd in Austin. the sugary fruit slices were her favorite- especially the orange. I also remember she had these cherry cordials on hand for very special occasions. I hope you try them out this Valentine’s Day.
the ingredients:
here is the ingredient line up:
- cherries: you can use fresh pitted cherries or frozen and defrosted dark cherries.
- chocolate chips: I used a semi-sweet version.
- maple syrup: helps sweeten the cashew butter.
- cashew butter: helps form a simple caramel-like filling. I prefer cashew over almond or peanut butter for its milder flavor profile.
- salt: always add salt to your sweets.
- dye-free sprinkles: I found a fun dye-free Valentine’s version.
- silicone treat pan: this is the one I use but I will also leave a method to make these even if you don’t have one.
Cherry Cordial Bites
Equipment
- 2 Pack Square Silicone Molds, 1.4" x 1.4" x 1" Cube Baking Molds for Bite Size Chocolate
Ingredients
- 16 Frozen or fresh dark cherries pitted, with stems removed
- 2 bags semisweet chocolate chips 9 oz. each
- 1.5 Tablespoon cashew butter
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- Sprinkle of mineral salt
- Dye-free Valentine's Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- To begin, combine the cashew butter, maple and salt in a small bowl. Add your silicone mold to a sheet pan and prepare your cherries.
- In a medium bowl, add the dark chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler, or in the microwave, warming in 30 second intervals. Liberally add chocolate to the bottoms of the molds, making sure to cover all around the sides.
- Add a cherry atop the chocolate to each mold, followed by a small spoonful of the cashew butter mixture. Top the rest of the mold with chocolate to seal the cordial.
- Alternately, if you do not have a silicone mold or ice tray, you can also stuff the cherries with the cashew butter mixture and dunk the cherries individually into the melted chocolate. transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Sprinkle the tops with dye-free sprinkles, if desired. Let chill to firm up, at least 20 minutes.
- Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
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