Fruity Chocolates

This is from "The Book of Chocolates and Petits Fours" by Beverly Sutherland Smith, a cookbook I use often when I want to make something special for a gift basket. Some of the cooking time on this recipe is actually time to allow the fruit to marinate.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 candies

Ingredients

• 5  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄3 cup  glace cherries, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon glace ginger, finely chopped
• 3  tablespoons  glace pineapple, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon  glace apricot
• 2  tablespoons  orange-flavored liqueur
• 24  slivered almonds

Directions

1. Melt 3 oz chocolate in a bowl or top of a double boiler set over pan of simmering water. Drop 24 small chocolate rounds by teaspoon on waxed paper and flatten. Let set.
2. In a clean bowl mix the chopped fruit with liqueur. Let stand for 30 minutes. Using about 1/2 tablespoon, form fruit mixture into small balls, and press to same diameter as chocolate rounds. Place flattened fruit on top of each chocolate round.
3. To decorate, melt remaining 2oz chocolate in a bowl or top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Spoon chocolate into a small pastry bag fitted with a small plain writting tip. (or spoon into plastic bag and make very small snip in one corner) Pipe a lattice design on top of each fruity chocolate. Place an almond sliver on top of each candy. Let set.
4. Store layered with waxed paper in an airtight container up to 3 weeks.