In a small saucepan, gently simmer the pitted dark cherries, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, smashing the cherries slightly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl, let cool completely, and place in a piping bag.

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over your 3 oz of chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, whisk until smooth, then stir in the soft unsalted butter. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature before transferring to a piping bag.

Melt 12 oz of your dark chocolate couverture over a double boiler until it reaches exactly 120°F (49°C). Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 oz of finely chopped un-melted chocolate. Stir continuously until the chocolate drops to 82°F (28°C), then gently warm it back up to 88-90°F (31-32°C).

Pour the tempered chocolate directly into your clean polycarbonate mold, filling each cavity. Tap the mold to release air bubbles. Invert the mold to let excess drip out, creating a thin shell. Scrape the surface clean and let sit for 15-20 minutes until set.

Pipe a small layer of cherry filling into each shell, followed by a layer of ganache, leaving a 2mm gap at the top. Let sit for 10 minutes. Ladle more tempered chocolate over the mold to cap them, scraping the top perfectly flat with your bench scraper.

Once fully set and frosted underneath, invert the mold and tap gently to release the bonbons. Using a dab of melted chocolate, affix dehydrated cherry pieces and gold leaf flakes to the tops.