Chocolate Cherry Cordials

Directions

1. Drain cherries but reserve 1 ¼ cups of the drained cherry liquid in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup liqueur (optional). Gently add the cherries to the saucepan and let it soak overnight.
3. Remove cherries and place on paper towels to dry. Get them as as dry as possible.
4. Mix softened butter and corn syrup in a small bowl. When well mixed stir in sifted confectioners’ sugar.
5. Knead mixture until smooth. If mixture is too soft to handle put it in the refrigerator to chill well.
6. Shape about ½ teaspoon of the confectioners’ sugar mixture around each cherry.
7. Place the coated cherries upright on a heavy weight dipping sheet and place into the refrigerator to chill and firm up.
8. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the double boiler. Only let the water simmer.
9. Do not allow it to boil or you may burn the chocolate.
10. Holding cherries by the stem dip one at a time into the chocolate. Be sure to completely seal the cherries otherwise the cherry juice may leak out after the chocolate has set.
11. Let excess chocolate drip off cherries and place the dipped cherries stem side up on sheet of parchment paper. Place in the fridge to chill until the chocolate is firm.
12. Seal in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.