Day Five is Vegan Cherry Cordials!

Day Five of the Valentine’s Day Challenge is Vegan Cherry Cordials! For those who don't know, cherry cordials are chocolate covered cherries. I used to love cherry cordials so I was so excited to make these! They’re a little time intensive and require that you think ahead but the end result will be amazing.

I’ve been baking a lot of bread lately, things like bagels and garlic knots are in the works so if you’re looking for a good vegan bagel recipe check out: the wicked good vegan!

- Alexis ♥

Vegan Cherry Cordials

• 1 10 ounce jar of maraschino cherries
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup Vegan chocolate chips
• 1-2 tablespoons cherry juice
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Directions

In advance, drain the maraschino cherries (reserving some of the cherry juice) and dry the cherries as much as possible before beginning this recipe. (I recommend freezing them before covering in the powdered sugar mixture/)

Beat together the butter, one cup of the sugar, almond extract, corn syrup and cherry juice until well incorporated and then add in the leftover ½ cup of sugar and knead until it becomes soft dough. If the dough is too sticky add more powdered sugar.

Refrigerate the dough until ready to use.

Once your cherries and dough are ready wrap each cherry with the dough and roll it out in your hand to smooth it out into a ball. If your dough isn't firm enough, roll the cherries in it and then freeze it for an hour or two. Once you’re done freezing it, roll the dough covered cherries in your hand to smooth into out into a nice smooth ball. Freeze the cherries until nice and firm.

Melted the chocolate over a double boiler and let it cool a bit before covered the cherries. Make sure you have a station set up to cover the cherries because they tend to start melting very quickly so you have to cover them in chocolate as quickly as possible. (I did two or three at a time and then put the cherries back in the freezer to chill more and repeated this process until all the cherries are covered.) I used a fork to roll them in the chocolate and then let the excess drain before transferring to my container for the cherries.

After you’re done covering all of the cherries, freeze them until they’re set and then transfer to the refrigerator until ready to eat!

*Tip: Make sure you completely cover the cherries or else the filling will start to leak out. I suggest covering them in chocolate once, letting them freeze and if they’re not completely covered, cover them in chocolate again.

*Tip #2: The longer you let them sit, the more the inside will turn to liquid like a traditional cherry cordial. They taste amazing either way though!