Traditions!

When I was a little girl my Grandma Wilcox used to make hand dipped chocolates for Christmas time. She actually had to start several weeks before Christmas so that they could have time to cure and be absolutely heavenly. She made all different kinds, some with coconut, some with nuts, but my very favorite, every one's favorite actually, were the cherry chocolates. I remember helping her and thinking that it was so much fun to take the fondant and wrap it around the cherry. then dip it in the chocolate. My grandma was always patient with me, and even though mine didn't look nearly as nice as hers, she never said a word about it. So this year I decided to have a go at it. Grandma lives hours and hours away now, so I was on my own. I did have her recipe, and two very eager helpers, so I thought I was set. I made the fondant.

I flavored some coconut, and some mint

and the rest were made into cherries

Then all the fondant goes into the freezer for a while to make the dipping easier.

Then you take a little paraffin wax and a little chocolate and melt it in a double boiler.



And then you dip and let them dry.

Usually you let them cure for a few weeks, but not my family, they dug right in.

(Sorry for the "nudie" shot, in the process she got COVERED with chocolate and started stripping down.)

I had a lot of fun doing this, and certainly think that it is a tradition I will continue on. It brought back a lot of happy memories, and I hope made some with my children. It also gave me a new appreciation for my grandma. It's not an easy process, and it is about a hundred times harder with "helpers". I don't know how she ever did it with the help of all us grandkids. Thanks Grandma!