"Konyakmeggy"/Cherries in Brandy

"Konyakmeggy", Cherries in Brandy is a sour cherry and brandy centered chocolate dessert  made by Szerencs Bonbon . This sweet is one of the biggest success of the factory and it was awarded at the Expo 58 in Brussels . The birth of Szerencs Chocolate Factory was one of the effect of the blooming industrialization in the and of the 19th century. It was built in a matter of a couple of months in 1889  and it was the biggest in Europe at the time.  For most of their products like the "Konyak Meggy"manual production is performed using the same skills and techniques as those introduced at the beginning of the 20th century by the renowned Budapest firm of chocolatiers, Gerbaud.

Of course I didn't have the recipe at my hands! I sort of came up with my own version. (others came up with theirs.)But I really should have just ask my Mom, because she remembered the recipe's principles  from her food-production studies ( back in the 70', isn't that incredible?) The trick is the fondant (= sugar + water +10% of golden syrup/corn syrup heated to 113C ) coat on the brandy poached cherry. This coat however magically disappears after it has been also coated with chocolate. That is so cool, pure chemistry! As the coating of the chocolate dries, it exerts pressure on the sugar coating underneath, and so on the cherry. The alcohol soaked juice is pressed out, dissolving the sugar. It takes one or two weeks for the ultimate full flavor to develop. the chocolates finally wrapped in foil and packed into confectionery boxes.  


here I am wrapping my cherry with a thin layer of marzipan
after one chocolate bath

Unfortunately this discovery has been made much after my attempt to recreate this fantastic sweet.
I have started out  by soaking dried sour cherries in Cognac for a week, then rolled out marzipan and cut out small circles to wrap the cherry in them. Melted dark chocolate in double boiler and gave them  a chocolate bath twice. I was also trying to get the nice ribbon on top, but that wasn't so successful. Finally, when completely dry, carefully placed a small piece of gold leaf on each of them. ...Voila! The gold is because the original is wrapped in gold foil. So I thought I could make that but also edible!

"Konyakmeggy"/Cherries in Brandy by me