Cherries soaked in buckets of bourbon are the ultimate chocolate gift

You owe yourself a gift this year: bourbon cherries covered in chocolate.

At least two local candy companies, Esther Price and Winans Chocolates and Coffee, sell the liquor-infused delights during the holiday season.

The Esther Price description says it all, “plump cherries steeped in bourbon, nestled in cream, and covered in chocolate.”

The candy process starts with draining the juice from cherries and drying them to shrink up like raisins, Peggy Weaver, a 24-year-employee at Esther Price Fine Chocolates, said.

Then comes the important part. The cherries are soaked in buckets of Kentucky bourbon for six to eight weeks.

“The longer they soak, the better they are,” Weaver said.

‘Tis the season for decadent treat, but there’s no chance consumers will get drunk. Esther Price had the alcohol content tested and the candy was deemed safe to sell without a liquor license.

Here’s a tip from the pros at Esther Price: Put a bourbon cherry in the microwave for four seconds to warm the cream and cherry inside the chocolate.

The bourbon cherries come in milk and dark chocolate and are sold in 8-ounce ($19.95) and a 16-ounce boxes ($33.75). The candy can be purchased on the Esther Price website, and the 8-ounce box can be purchased at Kroger.

The bourbon cherries made at Winans are “are soaked three months in bourbon before depositing in sugar fondant and covering in chocolate,” according to the Piqua-based candy maker’s website. They come in milk and dark chocolate.

The candy is sold in half pound ($16.95), pound ($26.95) two-pound ($54.95) and four-pound ($99.95) boxes.

Boxes can be purchased online at the Winans’ website and in select Winans’ shops.

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