We have two BIG dark sweet cherry trees in our backyard, they bloomed late spring early summer. Now that we are in full swing of summer the cherries are dried from the sun (not so yummy) but this recipe looks good to do in years to come and for those of you who also have bounties of cherries. I guess I could always make a stop to Safeway and pick up a pint if I’m not too cheap because FREE from your backyard is always nice.

From:DigginFood.com

What you’ll need:

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet dark chocolate
• ½ pound of fresh, sweet cherries

Instructions:

1. Wash and thoroughly dry the cherries. Line a plate that will fit into your refrigerator with parchment or wax paper.

2. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with two inches of water. Bring the water to a boil. In the meantime, break the chocolate into small chunks and place it into the double boiler’s top pan. Place the top pan over the water when it reaches a rolling boil.

3. Whisk the chocolate constantly until it is completely melted and smooth. Then, remove the double boiler from the heat and scrape the chocolate into a small bowl.*

4. Grab each cherry by its stem and dip it into the chocolate. Swirl the cherry in a clockwise motion, coating the bottom ¾ of the fruit. Place the cherry on the parchment paper covered plate. Repeat with the remaining cherries. Then, stick the plate into the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. If you’re not eating them right away, put the cherries in a covered container and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days.

* If you don’t have a double boiler, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave. Just place the chocolate pieces into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 to 60 seconds on medium power (it might take more time depending on your microwave). Stop and whisk the chocolate every 15 seconds until it is completely melted.