Chocolate Dipped Physalis (Ground cherries)

Chocolate, dipping and fruit — a hit with big and small.

Yesterday, I wrote about President’s Day. Thinking of George Washington‘s Cherry tree tale, convinced me that we needed something with cherries this week. I had to get creative since it’s not cherry season here and swapped traditional cherries for Physalis, aka: Ground Cherries and surprised my family with this dessert. Do you like Physalis/ Ground Cherries, too? I’m curious, which name do you know them by?

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Doesn’t everyone had a friend that whenever you leave their house, you want to rush right out and try to make the dishes they’ve just served you, again? This is a recipe from that friend, M. She made it for us, after her Italian Father-in-law had served it to her. He’s a Sommelier; hence,

the first time I had this dessert, it was paired with a beautiful red wine. The match with a red wine is positively exquisite.

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This week,  however, I made these for the kids, as a family meal. The kids love the festive activity of dipping to create the dessert while enjoying it. Don’t you notice, too, that when meals take longer, they’re perfect conversation sparks? When kids our children were toddlers, they re-named these fruits “favorite fruits.” This week, they couldn’t believe their luck when I served them side by side with melted chocolate!

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Original

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Dipped: Serve these with a little side of chocolate for dipping or make them ahead of time to serve on a tray. Aren’t their colors beautiful?  With Easter coming up, I seem to keep thinking of Peter Rabbit and Mr. Mc Gregor’s garden every time I look at these pictures. Is it just me?

 

Chocolate Dipped Physalis or Ground Cherries

(aka: President’s Day Dessert)

 

Ingredients:

High Quality, high coco content Chocolate

Physalis (Ground Cherries)

 

Prepare the Physalis by drawing back their protective covers; pulling them fully away from the fruit. Melt the chocolate. Place chocolate in a serving dish and serve these side by side for dipping OR prepare a surface with baking paper and dip these fruit in chocolate, then letting them cool and harden to serve later. These can even be used to decorate the top of a cake, cupcakes or dessert but, I just love them plain.

Something you might like:

Layer Cheese Cakes

Rosmal Cupcakes

Dipped Pyramid Macaroon Cookies

Thousand Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies

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