Chocolate Dipped Cherries

My last posting I referred to antioxidants and how the eggplant helps fight off free radicals. Right now, cherries are abundant in Bangkok even though they are flown in from other parts of world. I’m a big fan of fresh cherries and I’m even happier to learn that the cherry is being touted as the new antioxidant super fruit. A new study found that a cherry enriched diet helps reduce cholesterol, relieve pain from arthritis and gout, lower blood sugar and insulin levels and reduce risk factors for heart disease. Click here to read more. If you can’t buy fresh, then try dried, organic cherry juice or frozen cherries. Cherries are fat free and low in calories.

Serves 4
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
24 large fresh cherries with stems

Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir when melted. Holding the cherries by the stem, dip one at a time in the chocolate, only coating half the cherry. Allow excess to drip off. Store in a cool place but not in the refrigerator.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Another way to serve cherries is to dip the cherries into egg white (allow excess to drip back into the bowl) then sprinkle caster sugar over the cherries, shaking off the excess. Place on a rack until dry. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips as they melt faster. Enjoy!