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You're the STAR Blog Hop & HOME Features

T his linky party is the perfect place to show off your creativity! Share your blog posts, for a chance to be featured next month!     WELCOME to the August 2022  " You're the Star " Blog Hop! Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog: Keep cool during these last few weeks of summer with my delicious 3-Ingredient No Churn Ice Cream ! ___________________________ WELCOME to  HOME feature week of the August 2022  " You're the STAR " blog hop! Meet your HOME week Hosts   This week is HOME feature week Swing by the Home Hosts' Blogs: Bev from Eclectic Red Barn Cindy from Mom, the Lunch Lady Niki from Life as a LEO Wife This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU! There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month.   The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:

Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

 This homemade version of a popular Hershey chocolate candy, is a simple and delicious treat to make for Valentine's Day for your special someone. 

Cherry Blossoms, have always been one of my Mom's favourite chocolates. They are a chocolate candy, that was part of Hershey Canada's products. I'm not sure if they are still made today, but growing up I remember my Mom loving them. If I ever went to the store, with the intent of buying my Mom a treat, I always came home with a Cherry Blossom. Since this month is all about love, I thought I'd try to recreate these goodies from my childhood. When I think love, I think of many people in my life, one being my Mom. I thought these would be the perfect homage to her.

Every Christmas, my Mom would make a type of no-bake cookie, for their neighbour. She calls them birds nests, because they are a nest of chocolate, graham crumbs, condensed milk and coconut, in which is nestled a maraschino cherry. They are super YUMMY and they always remind me of the Cherry Blossom chocolate candy.

I decided to take her bird nest cookie recipe and alter it a tiny bit. I wanted the chocolate mixture to surround the cherry and wanted the whole thing dipped in dark chocolate. I think my idea worked brilliantly. These are tender and delicious, with a special cherry surprise in the centre. The kids totally flipped over these and  my Mom really enjoyed them too (the first time I made them). With yet another pandemic holiday, I am looking for ways to make it special without leaving the house. Making special treats for this is sure to make the day more special, not to mention delicious!

Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

1 can condensed milk
2/3 C semi sweet chocolate chips
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 sleeve of graham crackers (mine had 9 sheets of 4 crackers each)
1/2 C shredded sweetened coconut
1 jar maraschino cherries
melting chocolates
Valentine's Day Sprinkles

Drain maraschino cherries and place on a paper towel.

In a food processor, combine the graham crackers and coconut. Blend until the graham crackers resemble coarse crumbs. Set aside

In a saucepan, melt with chocolate chips with the condensed milk, until smooth. Stir in salt and almond extract. Remove from heat and stir in the graham crumb mixture, 1/2 a cup at a time, making sure the mixture sticks together, but is not too thick.

Melt 2 Tbs of butter in a microwave safe bowl. Dip finger tips in the melted butter and take a heaping tablespoon of the chocolate mixture. Cover a cherry with the chocolate mixture and form into the shape of a ball. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray and repeat, greasing hands with butter, with each new ball. Place in freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes, to set.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate wafers for 90 seconds, stirring after every 30 seconds. Continue heating in 30 second increments, until chocolate beings to melt. Stir until smooth. Remove cherries from freezer and dip in melted chocolate, returning them onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet and sprinkling with Valentine's Day sprinkles. Return to the freezer to set the chocolate. Store in an airtight container, for one week.

PIN IT!!!


I'm sharing this recipe with these Linky Parties

Comments

  1. These are so cute! And I definitely must try these!

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  2. These look so delicious and perfect for Valentine's Day!

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  3. These look delicious and something I've never heard of before! They seem perfect for a Valentine's Day treat!

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  4. sweet treat that can be shared with colleagues and everyone, another great valentine's treat idea :)

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  5. Yep, I’m going to have to make these! Pinning to remind myself ♥️

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  6. Such a cute treat for Valentine's Day! I love the hidden cherry😋

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  7. what a cute recipe to make some valentine's treats !

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  8. These remind me of the cherry blossoms we had as kids, which I loved! I can't wait to try them!

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  9. Yes, I totally remember seeing Cherry Blossoms in the store. Isn't it funny how mom's always have their favourite chocolate? Mine loved turtles - and I've made a homemade version of those too! I look forward to trying this recipe!

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  10. I used to love Cherry Blossoms - and so did my late Dad! He often bought them as gifts. I really like your recipe, Cindy - your Cherry Blossoms look very tempting. Sharing on the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community. Take care and have a lovely week.

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  11. My Mom is crazy for cherry blossoms and she'd love homemade. I'm going to make them for her the next time I see her!

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  12. These look absolutely amazing! Can't wait to try these for Valentine's Day. Hopefully, I won't eat them all by myself.

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  13. Valentine's Day here I come. Those look amazingly delicious. Cannot wait to try them

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  14. What a fun idea for Valentines day! I will need to make these for sure!

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  15. These look so pretty! And they are a perfect treat for the Valentine’s Day.

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  16. so cute and festive, perfect for valentines and spring

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  17. I have never had these before making them but wow are they amazing! Easy to make and the perfect treat for Valentine's Day!

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  18. perfect for vday for the kids school

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  19. I have added your recipe to my things to make for this Valentine's. I think it will be much appreciated!

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