This post contains affiliate links. Very Cherry Jelly Beans were generously provided by Jelly Belly.

One of my favorite things about the winter holidays is thinking about food gifts. This year, I’ll be sharing some new recipes for fun holiday desserts that work well as gifts or as a bring-a-long for a pot luck event. Today’s recipe is for the Easy Chocolate Cherry Jelly Bean Bites. If you don’t have chocolate molds, don’t worry! I’ll share directions for making them as bark, too. I used Jelly Belly Very Cherry Jelly Beans for the ones I made, and they were gobbled down pretty quickly one afternoon at work. Using dark chocolate balances out the sweetness of the jelly beans. Plus, I love dark chocolate! However, when I took a batch of these into work one day, I was surprised to find that the white chocolate version was the favorite. (Not to worry, both batches were eaten by my co-workers in a matter of minutes anyway!) Use your favorite chocolate, but remember not to use chocolate chips. These are designed NOT to melt, so they make the whole process much more difficult!

Easy Chocolate Cherry Jelly Bean Bites

Recipe by Underground Crafter

Ingredients

• 1 (4 ounce) bar of dark or white chocolate.
• For molded bites: 3-4 Jelly Belly Very Cherry Jelly Beans for each mold.
• For bark: 1/4 cup Jelly Belly Very Cherry Jelly Beans.

Tools

• Melting pot or double boiler for melting chocolate on stovetop; glass bowl for melting chocolate in microwave.
• For molded bites: chocolate or candy mold for 1″ (2.5 cm) pieces.
• For bark: Parchment paper, cookie sheet, and large knife.
• Spatula.

Recipe Notes

• Jelly Belly Orange Crush jelly beans would be another tasty flavor option.

 

Instructions

1) Break chocolate bar into smaller pieces and place into melting pot or double boiler to melt on stovetop, or glass dish to melt in microwave.

2) To melt chocolate:

• On stovetop: Heat chocolate at low to medium heat, watching closely and stirring occassionally, until pieces are mostly melted and only small, lumpy pieces remain. Remove from heat, stirring, until those pieces are also melted.
• In microwave: Heat chocolate at 50% power in 30 second bursts. Stir after each burst until pieces are mostly melted and only small, lumpy pieces remain. Remove from microwave, stirring until those pieces are also melted.

3) To mold chocolate:

• In chocolate molds:
  • Pour melted chocolate into molds, filling each mold about halfway.
  • Tap mold on counter to settle chocolate.
  • Drop 3-4 jelly beans into each mold.
  • Tap mold on counter to settle jelly beans.
  • Pour melted chocolate into rest of mold until full.
  • Tap mold on counter to settle jelly beans.
• As chocolate bark:
  • Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pour about half of melted chocolate over parchment paper, forming a small, rectangular area.
  • Tap cookie sheet on counter to settle chocolate.
  • Sprinkle jelly beans evenly over chocolate.
  • Tap cookie sheet on counter to settle jelly beans.
  • Pour remaining melted chocolate over jelly beans.
  • Tap cookie sheet on counter to settle chocolate.

4) To harden chocolate, place mold or cookie sheet in refrigerator for approximately one hour until harded.

5) Remove chocolate from molds, or use knife to break up bark into smaller pieces.

© 2015 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This recipe is for personal use only. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this recipe or the photos in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the recipe, point your friends to this link: http://undergroundcrafter.com/2015/11/07/recipe-easy-chocolate-cherry-jelly-bean-bites-or-bark. Thanks for supporting indie bloggers!