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An Entertaining Idea: Chocolate Cherry Surprises

(NAPSA) - For a delicious reminder of summer's luscious cherries, use individually quick-frozen sweet cherries in these surprise mini cakes. The sweet cherry filling in a tender chocolate cake is a winning combination. An entertaining bonus: they can be made ahead and frozen. For more recipes, visit www.nationalcherries.com.

Chocolate Sweet Cherry Surprise Mini Cakes

5 squares (1 ounce ea.) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour, sifted

Sweet Cherry filling

1 cup frozen sweet cherries
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut chocolate into small pieces and place in double boiler with oil. Melt chocolate, cool. Beat eggs and egg yolks with sugar until fluffy. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg mixture. Add flour; beat until fluffy and glossy, about 5 minutes.

Sweet Cherry Filling: Combine cherries, 1/2 cup water and 3 Tbsp. sugar in heavy saucepan; bring to boil on medium low heat. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to sweet cherry mixture, constantly stirring until boiling. Remove from heat; set aside until completely cooled. Oil and flour 12 3-inch muffin cups. Fill each 1/2 full with cake mixture; add 1 tablespoon cherry filling to each, then add additional cake mixture to fill. Bake 15-20 minutes until center is wobbly and sides are cooked. Run a knife around edge of cakes to loosen; tip out onto plates. Garnish with confectioner's sugar, if desired. Makes 12 cakes.

Make Ahead Note: Freezes well. Remove uncooked filled muffin tin from freezer and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.