Chocolate Covered Cherry Mice

These fun, delicious chocolate covered cherry mice are great for your next Holiday party. They are easy to make and a great way to spend a chilly, winter night at home. Our favorite part of this dessert is the decorating once the chocolate has hardened. You can be as creative as you want when designing the mice faces! Feel free to use fresh, sweet cherries if they are available, but maraschino cherries are always available and make a delicious alternative. Also, depending on the size of the cherries you may want to use larger chocolate chips, or Hershey's Kisses, as the head. 

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) jar maraschino cherries, with stems, drained and dried. 
• 6 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon butter   
• 1 oz food grade paraffin wax, chopped 
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or Hershey's Kisses
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 (3 oz) package red decorating gel or any other color 
• Miscellaneous decorations (if desired)

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper.

Rinse the maraschino cherries, drain thoroughly, and let dry on paper towels, turning often. The cherries must be completely dry or the chocolate will seize and get crumbly.

Gently melt chocolate, butter, and paraffin in a double boiler until smooth, stirring often to prevent burning.

Once melted, turn off heat, but leave in the double-boiler on the burner.

Dip dry cherries in melted chocolate to completely cover up to the stem and place on lined cookie sheet.

Immediately press on chocolate chip/Hershey's Kiss, flat side to the front of the dipped cherry, to form a head. While chocolate is still warm, wedge two sliced almonds between chocolate chip and cherry to form ears. Let cool.

Use a toothpick to dab eyes on either side of the chocolate chip with the red gel icing. Feel free to get creative here and make different, fun faces with other colors or decorations.

Refrigerate to firmly set chocolate.

Let us know if you try this recipe by tagging us in pictures of the finished product on Facebook and using #OutsmartTheSeason!