Chocolate Covered Cherries

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some cherries this year, I have a great, kid-friendly, summer fun project for you. Cherries have been elusive this year so when I finally got my hands on some I wanted to make sure I put them to good use.

 Of course, any fruit can be dipped into chocolate, but there's something special about cherries. Remember the chocolate covered, sugar filled cherries we all used to eat? They were a favorite of mine. Now, I'd rather not have the added sugar and we need to make our own with safe chocolate. I used PASCHA Organic Dark Chocolate Baking Chips - 55% Cacao to make these (affiliate link).
 
Wash the cherries, remove the stems and the pits (but try to keep them whole). Pat them dry.

Melt 1 tablespoon of shortening (I used Earth Balance Vegan Shortening) over low heat. Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir until completely melted. Use a toothpick to dip the cherries into the chocolate. Place the coated cherries on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

 Refrigerate until the chocolate is solidified. Enjoy!