I don't think you'll be surprised to find out many of my holiday memories are about food. Savory and sweet, but mostly sweet.
As a kid my family kicked off the Christmas season by hunting for our tree in the pasture my grandparents had. My grandma had one pocket filled with m&m's for the kids to snack on. And the pockets of the other adults had liquid hunting juice. The longer it took to find the "perfect tree" the uglier the tree was. (We once cut down a cedar that was the outhouse of the pasture and had to get another tree once we got home.) We would come back to the house, drink egg nog, eat peanut brittle, sing Christmas songs around the organ, play pitch and have a jolly good time.
Over the years, the traditions have changed, and are probably more food focused. We all enjoy cooking and baking and trying new things. But a few constants have remained. We still play pitch, sing, have peanut brittle, egg nog and have a jolly good time. We just also have a lot of treats too. Sugar cookies, brittle, gingerbread men, peanut clusters, dentist delights, and I make cherry mash too.
If you're in the midwest, you may know about Cherry Mash. Other parts of the US have cherry chocolate candies as well like Twin Bing and they all have the same type of cherry flavor and deliciousness. I know of many families who made cherry mash treats in bar form, used a frosting base and various other recipes. I've formulated a version that's sweet on the inside with bites of cherry bits and uses dark chocolate coating for a good flavor balance.
My recipe will make roughly 100 cherry mash, so don't freak out about the amount of the ingredients. These will keep in the fridge for quite some time and make wonderful treats for neighbors, teachers, mail carriers and family & work parties.
Cherry Mash
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 15 oz can evaporated milk
1 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
2 T butter
pinch of salt
50 oz cherry chips (5 bags)
1 cup chopped glacé/candied cherries
(optional) 1T marichino cherry juice
For the topping
30 oz dark chocolate chips (3 bags)
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted peanuts
You will also need parchment paper, a casserole dish, small 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop, Pyrex measuring cup or microwave safe bowl, fork and cookie trays. Oh, feel free to use any type of sprinkles to decorate, or leave plain!
First: In a pot combine sugar, milk, butter and a pinch of salt. Melt over medium heat until the mixture comes to a slight boil. Let it slowly boil for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. Add all the cherry chips and stir in slowly. If the chips do not completely melt, use an emersion blender or hand whisk until smooth. Add marshmallow fluff, chopped cherries and cherry juice and fold in until completely incorporated. Pour into a parchment lined casserole dish. Place dish to the side or in the fridge to fully set.
Second: Once the cherry mixture has fully set and is firm to touch, begin scooping the mixture with the small ice cream scoop. They do not need to be perfectly round. Rough scoops work just fine! Place on a parchment lined cookie tray and chill.
Third: While the cherry scoops are in the fridge/freezer start melting your chocolate. I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, using a package of chocolate chips one at a time. Place chips in the microwave and cook 30 seconds at a time mixing in between microwaving until chips are almost fully melted. Stir until smooth and add 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts to the melted chocolate. (As you use up the melted mixture, add a new bag of chocolate and 1/2 cup of peanuts until you have used it all up)
Fourth: After you chill cherry scoops for at least 1 hour, if covered they can chill overnight. Using a fork, place and cover the cherry scoop into your melted chocolate mix one by one, lifting out with the fork and tapping off excess chocolate. Place coated cherry mash on a parchment lined cookie tray and decorate with sprinkles or leave plain. Continue until you have covered all cherry scoops with the chocolate mixture. When finished, place set cherry mash into food save containers and store in the fridge.
Enjoy your cherry mash straight from the fridge or at room temperature!
What are your family holiday food favorites and traditions?
I still have sugar cookies, gingerbread men and chocolate mint cookies left to make on my list. Plus a very messy house to tidy up before Christmas. Will it all get done? Who knows, haha!
A couple weeks ago, I posted a free quilt pattern in the store called Hexi Shift. And I'll also be updating the store to include printed patterns for Jeweled Lattice and Grizzly's Trio for you to order. Reach out if you have any questions about quilt patterns or recipes!
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas season. If you're a fan of cherry and chocolate, give this cherry mash recipe a try this holiday season!
Ho ho ho, Anna B