Looking for something to keep you warm this winter? Here’s a deceptively impressive dessert that will wow the crowd: amaretto-soaked cherries, dipped in white chocolate. Keep the kids away from these! They’re flavorful, they’re not too sweet, and they pack quite a kick when you catch the amaretto liqueur.

But the best part is that they’re super easy to make.

Ingredients

*  40 fresh unpitted cherries (cherries with pits works fine, too)
*  750 mL bottle of amaretto
*  12 ounces white chocolate chips
*  Vegetable oil

With a knife, make small ¼-inch cuts into each cherry. Place the cherries into mason jars, filling each jar about ¾ of the way full. Fill each jar with amaretto to just cover the cherries. Close each jar securely, and shake gently for 10 seconds before placing into the refrigerator. Let cherries soak for at last overnight, up to 48 hours.

Hint: How to Remove a pit from a cherry
This is a really strange tip that somebody passed on to me once: Cut a small “X” shape in the bottom of the cherry with a sharp knife, then take a pair of clean (I used brand new ones) needlenose pliers and yank the pit out gently. It really works like a charm!

Strain the cherry mixture (you can reserve the slightly cherry-flavored amaretto for cocktails) into a colander. Pat down each cherry with a paper towel or cloth until each one is dry.

Then all that’s left to do is dip!

Melt some of the white chocolate chips in the microwave, adding vegetable oil as needed. Stir well to create a chocolate coating.

By the stem, dip each cherry into the white chocolate coating. Let excess chocolate drip off before placing the cherries on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate to set for at least 15 minutes before serving. Keeps best in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Make sure you eat the ones without stems and the ones that didn’t dip just right, you know… to make sure they’re not poisonous. Right?

* Recipe Credit : Formal Fringe