Chocolate-Covered Cherry Mice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, with stems drained and dried (see Notes)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 ounce paraffin wax, chopped (see Notes)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (see Notes)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 (3 ounce) package clear red decorating gel

Preparation

Before starting, you may wish to take a look at the step-by-step instructions with photos. SEE LINK IN DESCRIPTION ABOVE.
Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper.
Rinse the maraschino cherries, drain thoroughly, and let dry on paper towels, turning often.
The cherries must be completely dry or the chocolate will seize and get crumbly.
Gently melt chocolate, butter, and paraffin in a double boiler until smooth, stirring often to prevent burning.
Once melted, turn off heat, but leave in the double-boiler on the burner.
Dip dry cherries in melted chocolate to completely cover up to the stem.
Place on lined cookie sheet.
Immediately press on chocolate chip, flat side to the front of the dipped cherry, to form a head.
While chocolate is still warm, wedge two sliced almonds between chocolate chip and cherry to form ears. Let cool.
Use a toothpick to dab beady red eyes on either side of the chocolate chip with the red gel icing.
Refrigerate to firmly set chocolate.
Notes:
If fresh sweet cherries are in season, by all means use them.
Paraffin is sold in the canning supplies section, usually under the brand Gulf Wax.
You can use the giant chocolate bars for the semisweet chocolate, or semisweet baking squares, or chocolate chips.
If your cherries are exceptionally large, you may wish to use chocolate kisses for the heads.