Say it with bonbons

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve. Use a fork to dip the cherries in the chocolate if you’re not fashioning stems from floral wire.

1. In a bowl, stir together sugar, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon water and butter until a dough forms. Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar and knead until smooth, dusting dough with more sugar as necessary, until no longer sticky. Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough into your palm and flatten into a 1-inch round. Place a cherry in center of round and wrap dough around cherry, pressing with your fingers to enclose. Gently roll between your palms until smooth. Repeat process with remaining dough and cherries. Make a small loop in one end of each length of wire, then insert a looped end into center of each cherry (loop will prevent wire from slipping out when dipping). Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet. Let stand, uncovered, until hard and dry, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

2. Using wire stems to hold them, dip each cherry into chocolate, then lift and let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet and let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 1 hour. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

Nutritional analysis per cherry: 70 calories, 2 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 1 milligram cholesterol, 8 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 25 percent of calories from fat.

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve.

1. Stir together confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon water, peppermint extract and butter until a dough forms. Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar and knead until smooth, dusting dough with more sugar as necessary, until no longer sticky. Form into a flat disk, place between two pieces of parchment, and roll out to a  1/4-inch-thick round. Remove top piece of parchment and generously dust with confectioners’ sugar. Replace parchment and flip. Remove parchment from other side and generously dust with confectioners’ sugar. Stamp out shapes with a 1  1/2-to-2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps, reroll and stamp out more hearts. Let stand, uncovered, until hard and dry, about 2 hours and up to 1 day.

2. Balance one heart on a fork, with tip of heart facing end of tines. Dip into chocolate until fully submerged; lift up and gently shake fork back and forth to remove excess chocolate. Scrape bottom of fork against side of bowl to remove any remaining excess chocolate. Tilt handle of fork upward and allow heart to gently slide onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hearts and chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 1 hour. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

Nutritional analysis per heart: 68 calories, 2 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 1 milligram cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 31 percent of calories from fat.

If you use faux-tempered chocolate, allow these to set in the refrigerator, and store there until ready to serve.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. Place 30 mini foil baking cups on a rimmed baking sheet. Place 1 toasted almond in bottom of each cup. Carefully pour enough chocolate into cups to fill two-thirds of the way, stirring chocolate frequently while filling to ensure it stays tempered. Press 2 marshmallows into each cup to partially submerge in chocolate, then press 1 more toasted almond and several pieces of pretzel into each cup.

3. Let stand until chocolate is hard and dry, about 2 hours. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Nutritional analysis per bite: 60 calories, 4 grams fat, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, no cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 58 percent of calories from fat.

You can also faux-temper the chocolate, which is quicker and simpler but requires that you keep the finished candies refrigerated. To faux-temper, bring a saucepan containing 2 inches of water to a simmer. Turn off heat; place a metal bowl containing chocolate over saucepan; stir until chocolate melts. Remove bowl from saucepan, stir in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or shortening, and use immediately. Transfer finished candies to the refrigerator to harden when done, and store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Essential tools:

1. Place  1/2 pound chocolate in a metal bowl. Bring a saucepan containing 2 inches of water to a simmer, then turn off heat. Set bowl of chocolate over saucepan (don’t let bottom touch the water) and let melt, stirring gently with spatula until chocolate registers 118 degrees to 120 degrees on thermometer. Remove bowl; cover saucepan to keep water warm.

2. Add remaining  1/4 pound chocolate to bowl, stirring constantly until chocolate registers 82 degrees on thermometer. Remove any unmelted pieces of chocolate with spatula. Line bottom of bowl with a kitchen towel and return to saucepan, stirring constantly until chocolate registers 88 degrees to 90 degrees. (The towel will help ensure the chocolate does not climb above 90 degrees, which would cause it to bloom when set.) Use immediately, stirring frequently while using to maintain temper and prevent streaking once chocolate hardens. If tempered chocolate thickens too much during use, place over simmering water again, stirring, 2 to 3 seconds.

Nutritional analysis per 1-tablespoon serving: 111 calories, 12 grams fat, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 76 percent of calories from fat.