White Chocolate Cherry Skulls

How to Make White Chocolate Cherry Skulls

1. 1

   Step 1: Melt and flavor the white chocolate

   Active 8 min

   Chop or weigh the white chocolate, place it in a heatproof bowl with the coconut oil. Melt gently in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts until smooth (or use a double boiler). Stir in the vanilla. You will use part of this melted chocolate for the shells (about 1/3, roughly 4 oz / 110 g) and reserve the remainder for sealing later.

   For this step

   • 1 tbspcoconut oil (solid or liquid)
   • 1 tspvanilla extract
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Form thin chocolate skull shells

   Active 10 min · Passive 5 min

   Working quickly, spoon about 1/3 of the melted white chocolate (about 4 oz / 110 g) into a clean silicone skull mold. Tilt and tap the mold so chocolate coats all cavity walls; scrape away excess to leave a thin shell. Place the mold on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set the shells.
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare and add the cherry filling

   Active 6 min · Passive 10 min

   While shells chill, chop the dried tart cherries to small pieces and stir with the cherry preserves so you have a spoonable, slightly sticky filling. Remove the chilled shells from the fridge and drop about 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped cherry mixture into the center of each shell cavity (leave a small border so shells can be sealed). After filling, return the mold to the fridge and chill 10 minutes so the filling firms slightly.

   For this step

   • 3/4 cupdried tart cherries, chopped
   • 1/4 cupcherry preserves (seedless)
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Seal the skulls with remaining chocolate

   Active 3 min · Passive 20 min

   Rewarm the remaining melted white chocolate briefly if needed and spoon it over each filled cavity to seal (use the remaining ~8 oz / 230 g of melted chocolate). Smooth the backs with a spatula so each cavity is fully closed. Refrigerate the mold for 20 minutes, until the candies are completely firm — this recipe makes about 20 skulls depending on mold size.
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Unmold and finish

   Active 3 min

   Gently pop the skulls from the silicone mold onto a tray. Dust each skull lightly with the crushed freeze-dried cherry powder to give rosy eye sockets or accents, and finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on each for contrast.

   For this step

   • 2 tbspfreeze-dried cherries, crushed to powder
   • 1/4 tspflaky sea salt
   
6. 6

   Step 6: Store and serve

   Active 2 min

   Store the skulls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or at cool room temperature for 2–3 days. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature as a festive treat or party favor.
   

1. Chop or weigh the white chocolate, place it in a heatproof bowl with the coconut oil. Melt gently in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts until smooth (or use a double boiler). Stir in the vanilla. You will use part of this melted chocolate for the shells (about 1/3, roughly 4 oz / 110 g) and reserve the remainder for sealing later.
2. Working quickly, spoon about 1/3 of the melted white chocolate (about 4 oz / 110 g) into a clean silicone skull mold. Tilt and tap the mold so chocolate coats all cavity walls; scrape away excess to leave a thin shell. Place the mold on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set the shells.
3. While shells chill, chop the dried tart cherries to small pieces and stir with the cherry preserves so you have a spoonable, slightly sticky filling. Remove the chilled shells from the fridge and drop about 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped cherry mixture into the center of each shell cavity (leave a small border so shells can be sealed). After filling, return the mold to the fridge and chill 10 minutes so the filling firms slightly.
4. Rewarm the remaining melted white chocolate briefly if needed and spoon it over each filled cavity to seal (use the remaining ~8 oz / 230 g of melted chocolate). Smooth the backs with a spatula so each cavity is fully closed. Refrigerate the mold for 20 minutes, until the candies are completely firm — this recipe makes about 20 skulls depending on mold size.
5. Gently pop the skulls from the silicone mold onto a tray. Dust each skull lightly with the crushed freeze-dried cherry powder to give rosy eye sockets or accents, and finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on each for contrast.
6. Store the skulls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or at cool room temperature for 2–3 days. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature as a festive treat or party favor.