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As we know, candied cherries have a different flavor, texture and appearance than natural cherries and, furthermore, they can be applied in many ways in confectionery and in all kinds of dishes. Professionals use them especially in desserts because they combine perfectly with classic ingredients for cakes, biscuits, cakes, etc. In this sense, candied cherries with chocolate are undoubtedly one of the most successful combinations in confectionery.
In this post we are going to explain why chocolate combines so well with cherries and what are the main desserts in which it is used. In addition, we explain why professionals want to choose a brand of quality candied cherries with a long history in the market.
Why chocolate candied cherries go so well
Chocolate is considered by many to be one of the great inventions of mankind and, although it may seem exaggerated, it is a product that has evolved a great deal over time to reach the level of sophistication and quality that we find today. Chocolate can be presented in many different ways to surprise the customer and it also allows numerous combinations with other ingredients, which is why it is so attractive to professionals.
It must be remembered that although chocolate as we know it is sweet, the original product from which we made it (cocoa) is bitter. That is why pure cocoa is usually used in savory recipes together with foods as varied as cauliflower, ham, bacon, cucumber, asparagus, aubergines and also with fruits such as bananas or cherries.
The acidity of the cherry combines very well with the sweetness of the chocolate, hence the large number of desserts that we can find with these ingredients. In addition, if candied cherries are used, the explosion of flavor and sensations is multiplied, which is why many professionals choose to use this type of cherry in their creations together with dark chocolate, milk chocolate and, sometimes, also white. These are some of the desserts where candied cherries with chocolate are used with great success:
- Candied cherries with chocolate cream and whipe cream.
- Bonbons with cherry pieces.
- Black Forest Cake.
- Chocolate cake with cherry sauce.
- Candied cherry muffins with chocolate.
- Chocolate nougat with candied cherries.
- Chocolate cherry fudge.
- Cheesecake with chocolate and cherries.
- Swiss roll with cherries and chocolate.
- Cookies with cherry and chocolate chips.
- Chocolate and cherry tartlets and cupcakes.
These are just a sample of the desserts that can be made with candied cherries and chocolate. Chopped nuts, such as pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts also combine very well and, if we want to enhance the flavor even more, we can apply a small bath of crushed cereals or cinnamon powder.
How to get a perfect chocolate for candied cherries
First of all, it must be said that professionals do not risk it and always use candied cherries of the highest quality, with a good appearance and size and, depending on the dessert they are preparing, with or without pit. In addition to a good raw material, pastry chefs use chocolates of different colors and finishes.
When making desserts, the chocolate must be crisp and shiny, and to achieve this, the professional must use a series of specific techniques to prevent the chocolate from having a matt color without shine, or white specks.
The technique used to achieve perfect chocolate candied cherries is chocolate tempering, a process in which the fat crystals in the chocolate are broken down. First, the chocolate is melted and then it is left to cool a bit so that the new networks of fat crystals begin to form. In the last step, we heat the chocolate again to melt the crystals of the new networks and then let it crystallize completely.
Pastry chefs carry out this process intuitively, although it is true that chocolate changes temperature very quickly and it must be removed from the heat at the right time to achieve the desired effect.
When melting the chocolate, it can be done in a bain-marie or in the microwave, although it is much more difficult to control the temperature this way. It is best to do it in a bain-marie to control the temperature with a thermometer at all times.
To cool the chocolate there are also several ways, but perhaps the best is to place the container where the chocolate has been melted on another container with ice and control with the thermometer how the temperature drops until it reaches the one we want.
At Lazaya Preserved Fruit we have a wide range of high-quality candied fruit for professionals who wish to use chocolate candied cherries in their creations. In addition to our own plantations, we control the production process from the cherry harvest to the packaging and we adapt to the needs of the professional with all kinds of sizes, brix and formats. Contact us and tell us what you need. Talk later?
