I’m honored to be part of the #GoTart National Cherry Month Campaign. Today I’m sharing a delicious chocolate cherry recipe that is perfect for Valentine’s Day! See more of this details at the bottom of this page.
When Cherries go on sale, we are all over them.
My family alone can down pounds of fresh cherries like a beast. It was only natural that we would enjoy the tart variety of cherry, called Montmorency cherries. They are perfectly tart and sour and work beautifully when made into dried cherries. The dried cherries are perfect for incorporating a little burst of bright tartness to dishes, both savory and sweet!
Just again yesterday, I made my family the Warm Brussels Sprout Salad that incorporated dried cherries and prosciutto to really have a exciting sensation as soon as it hit their mouths. It was a winner!
Dried cherries pack in that pop of flavor and not to mention the high vitamin A, too!
These chocolate cherry cups were just my next step in incorporating cherries. I’ve been temperating chocolate left and right lately. It takes some patience and practice. As you can see, I didn’t temper them perfectly this time around because of the slight blooming happening on the tops…next time. You can’t tell it, though. The chocolate is perfectly hard at room temperature and absolutely divine!
The bittersweet chocolate surrounding that tart cherry paste is perfection. Just pop a few in a bag and you’ve got your sweet and tart cravings satisfied for the day!
I hope you enjoy these little treats and be sure to scroll to the bottom for an extra special giveaway!
Chocolate Cherry Cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cherries
- (optional) warm water or cherry juice
- 10 ounce bag good quality dark chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
How-To
- In a high powered blender (I use a Blendtec with the Twister Jar) or food processor, blend the dried cherries until they become a paste. If you’re having trouble with them, add a few teaspoons of warm water or cherry juice to help loosen them up.
- Meanwhile, temper your chocolate (follow these instructions to temper chocolate). With the back of a small spoon, paint the bottom and sides of your mini candy cup paper or foil liners. These should harden by the time you’re ready to fill them.
- Fill with a 1/2 teaspoon of cherry paste. If the paste becomes hard again, simply microwave for a few seconds until it’s pliable.
- Spoon chocolate on top of the cherry paste to fill the cups completely. Allow them to sit at room temperature until hard.
- Store in an airtight container.
Servings: 15 mini chocolate cherry cups
Oh my gosh, I love cherries, I am totally obsessed. Also in fresh figs and Medjool dates. I am going to try your recipe and will go back and enter your giveaway! Thanks so much.
I like ALL cherries! With the tart I do like to add veggies and juice but they make awesome food recipes too. I even like them on a salad with a good balsamic dressing. I can #GoTart easily and love it. Cherries are sooooo expensive I hope I win this giveaway. What is sad is I don’t have any of the prizes except for aprons! I do have those. Thank you so much for an awesome and delicious recipe with a magnificent giveaway!
Cherry pie, for sure!
YUM…anything with chocolate is amazing! Especially dark chocolate! 🙂
Cherries are the best! They have such great flavor!
Can’t wait to try this. I’m already thinking of a variation with a bit chili pepper in the mix.
Great idea! These look delicious!
right out of the bag.
Oh man these are absolutely gorgeous cherry cups. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
I love chocolate covered cherries and would definitely be making this recipe often!
I want to make these Tart Cherry Jargaritas I saw on Pinterest! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/171277592052707792/
They look and sounds great! Perfect end to a busy day or by the pool!
Put them in oatmeal or baked goods..yum!
I love this in granola mix!
I love cherries in all shapes and forms! In winter, I mix some frozen in yogurt for a delicious breakfast. Amd of course I bake cherry pie 🙂
These cherry cups look incredible! I definitely need to try them! I also looooove cherry pie 🙂
I love eating whole cherries. I need to start making cookies, muffins, bread or pancakes with dried cherries. And I would love to win a Kitchen Aid 7 quart mixer and a Le Creuset 4.5 quart dutch oven. Thanks so much for the contest and all your delicious recipes.
I love tart cherries in Paleo bars mixed with coconut shreds and crushed almonds….delicious.
#GoTart in a margarita – yum!
Hmmmm, I’d have to say covered in chocolate or in Popsicle form. Better yet, a cherry Popsicle covered in chocolate and carrots homemade magic shell! Wishing for summer!!
Definitely cherry pie!
I use cherries in granola, salads, oatmeal, and definitely pie!!
Thrilled I found your blog, these look great!
I enjoy tart cherries in my oatmeal or muffins.
Fresh cherries are one of my favorite fruits – I can sit down and eat an entire bag!
I also like them in oatmeal and muffins too 🙂
I love to eat cherries right out of the bag. They are my favorite fruit. I also like them in muffins or covered in chocolate. Yum!
I am with you Caroline – I can never get enough of fresh cherries or chocolate and cherries. I need to make these this weekend!
This looks soooo good. I love cherries and chocolate, so this is perfect and simple!
I like tart cherries in my chocolate smoothie.
love sour cherries anyway I can get them.
I just bought a cherry pitter at Williams Sonoma this morning. My teenager exclaimed he’s been waiting for one his whole life! I guess he’s happy.
I love cherry juice – it’s so tart but so refreshing, specially mixed with seltzer water!
Yum! I love cherries, and love to use them with chocolate in cookies, or just to eat them fresh!
Best thing I ever made with tart cherries was a cherry pie!
I love every thing cherry. I can’t wait to try this. I made a bourbon cherry gravy Christmas everyone loved it ( even though they made faces at me till they tried it)
Cherries are the best! I love to eat them dipped in chocolate.
I love a good cherry pie!
Cherry turnovers!
I love to make truffles with tart cherries and almond butter and chocolate! So yummy!
Favorite time of year is spring/summer when the cherries are in season!!
In a salad!
Either raw or in a cherry crumble pie!
These cherry cups look amazing. Growing up cello’s were always such a treat – my Mom loved them and she will love these! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely have to make them 🙂 #GoTart
Make a cherry cake.
I’ll eat cherries in pretty much anything…but this recipe is definitely calling my name!
I loveee cherries. Dipped in chocolate, in pies, mixed into salads…yum!
CHERRY SMOOTHIE WOO HOO 🙂
CHERRIES …
MY FAVORITE …
It’s a toss up between in a salty tangy homemade trail mix or the bark I make for Christmas (white chocolate, pistachios, craisins, and dried cherries). Looking forward to trying your cups!
These look delicious and decadent! I love dried cherries on a green salad. Or fresh ones by the handful!
This is a fantastic idea! There is nothing better than cherries and chocolate 🙂 yum
I bought some dried cherries today before the 6 inches of snow in 2 hours and now sleeting like crazy on top of that at 19 degrees I hope everyone is staying inside!
Cherry limeade is delicious. This giveaway is amazing!
I love tart cherries! We eat dried cherries daily.
Cherries in my salads – YUM!
Dried fruit all day everyday.
In my oatmeal cookies!
I love mini cornmeal cherry cupcakes! Also weird candied cherries on our super southern ambrosia Christmas cookies…. Yum! Love these, easy and gluten free!
Honestly, I love cherries best eaten plain. I love sour fruit, so the tarter the better!
Yum! Anything dark chocolate with cherries is a win!
I sure would like to have those cherries in all this snow. I am wanting to cook up a storm, I sure can’t go out side! Now we are getting even more snow!!! Stir fry coming up tonight for supper.
right outta the bag!
I WANT THIS SO BADLY.
I love to add them in recipes that call for cranberries. Or mix them 1/2 and 1/2 with the cranberries. Yummy in oatmeal too.
Since I am not a fan of raisins I would use Cherries in place of those – in cookies, on my oatmeal, on salads, by the handful!
Homemade chocolate-covered cherries with delicious dark chocolate.
My favorite way to enjoy tart cherries is by popping them right in my mouth – but these look amazing! And great giveaway!
My family loves cherries! Going to try the chocolate cherry tarts! Great give away!
Hope I win! I LOVE cherries! All year round!
My family loves cherries! Going to try the chocolate cherry tarts!
Chocolate cherry brownies!
Cherry chocolate pancakes, cherry Sconce’s
The chocolate and cherry pics above look like a great way to eat ’em 🙂
Cherries, like most things, are delicious covered in chocolate!
Cherries! OMG, I love them. This is awesomeness..
My favorite way to eat cherries are covering them in chocolate! I will definitely try this recipe too!
I love making chocolate covered cherries, or using them in baked goods! So delish!
nothing beats cherry pie!
I like to reconstitute dried cherries and bake them in my muffins.
I like eating cherries raw, in their natural state. But covered in chocolate is good too!
I love making cherry cobbler! These chocolate cherry cups sound divine!
I am making these today!!!! I have the tart dried cherries, fantastic chocolate and I think I am ready to go!!! I will let you know what happens!
so simple..I’ll have to try these.