CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

16 ounces powdered sugar
 5 tablespoons soft butter
 2 tablespoons half and half cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 10-ounce jars maraschino cherries, well drained
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 bar paraffin wax, shaved
1 tablespoon butter

Knead first 4 ingredients until smooth.  Flatten rounded teaspoonful of dough in palm of hand, roll dough around cherry.  Place on foil-lined baking sheet, refrigerate until slightly firm (about 1 hour).  Melt chocolate, paraffin and butter in top of double boiler.  Hold cherries by stem, or if no stem, stick a toothpick into each cherry.  Dip cherry in chocolate and return to baking sheet.  When all cherries are covered, dip a spoon into chocolate and cover hole from toothpick, making a design on each.  Cool.  Place in bonbon cups.  Store in cool, dry place.

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I always need more powdered sugar to make the paste workable (it needs to be dry enough so you can handle it without it sticking to your fingers.)  Take a 1 gallon zip-lock freezer bag and slit it up both sides.  Place balls of dough on one side of the bag and fold the other side over.  Smash each ball with the bottom of a glass then peal off and wrap each cherry and roll in the palm of your hands.  Melt the chocolate over a very low heat so it will set up faster.

SAM's sells maraschino cherries in 4 lb. 10-ounce jars if you really get into making these.

The finished product should sit for about a week for the center to liquefy.