Cherry Cordials

Cherry cordials can be made by a variety of techniques, including starch molding, shell molding, panning, and simple dipping. Regardless of the method, the concepts are identical: a preserved cherry is covered with heated fondant to which invertase has been added. The fondant-covered cherry is then enclosed in a chocolate coating. Over a period of days, the sugar in the fondant is broken down by the invertase and combines with the moisture in the cherry, resulting in a liquid center and a cherry inside a chocolate shell. Cherries used for cordials must be preserved, either with spirits, as in brandied cherries, or with sugar and preservatives, as in maraschino cherries. Fresh cherries may not be used; they could not have a satisfactory shelf life. In the production of cherry cordials, it is important to allow time for the fondant to liquefy before selling or serving them. This may take from five days to three weeks, depending on the amount of invertase used, the temperature at which the cordials are stored, and the liquid content of the fondant and the cherry. When dipping by hand, it is important to put each fondant-coated cherry onto a chocolate disc prior to dipping, in order to prevent the syrup from leaking through the bottom as the fondant liquefies.