These raspberry cardamom chocolate bonbons are a perfect satisfaction with a creamy raspberry chocolate ganache and milk chocolate cardamom ganache centre and a crisp milk chocolate shell.
I’ve never posted a chocolate bonbon recipe before, because I though it was too complicated to follow. Well, now it is here and you are very welcome to try it. I gave my best to describe all the steps and make them as easy as possible. However, if you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will do my best to help.
These raspberry cardamom chocolate bonbons make a gorgeous edible gift. In fact, I’ve sent twenty of these bonbons to my father for his birthday this weekend. They are composed of milk chocolate shell filled with raspberry chocolate ganache layered over a cardamom milk chocolate ganache.
Working with chocolate is much easier than it sounds. It is all about stirring, moving the chocolate around and the right temperature. Therefore, a thermometer is your best friend when it comes to chocolate. More, dark, milk and white chocolate, each have their own “working” temperature.
Why to temper chocolate
When the chocolate reaches the right temperature, it means it’s tempered and ready to use. You can start making chocolate bars, chocolate bonbons, chocolate decorations and so on. A tempered chocolate will have that crisp snap when eaten, a lovely smooth, shiny and spotless surface. Simply gorgeous!
For the most curious people: the reason of melting, cooling down and again warming the chocolate back up is to alter the crystal formation of the chocolate. When first melting the chocolate, six different crystals will form. But we need only one, the right one. Therefore, the chocolate needs to be cooled down, to get to the right crystals and then reheated, to connect these crystals.
In order to make these chocolate bonbons you will need a couple of heatproof bowls, a silicone spatula, a thermometer, a chocolate bonbon mold, a small saucepan or a microwave, a set-off spatula or a scraper and a silicone mat.
How to make a shiny colourful chocolate bonbon shell
In order to get that shiny surface, keep the mold clean and use cocoa butter. The best way to clean a polycarbonate mold it to use a piece of cotton. Cocoa butter does not provide any chocolate taste, but it makes you chocolate melt in your mouth. And, very important in this recipe, it makes your chocolate bonbon shells shine.
More, the cocoa butter can be mixed with edible colours to make your bonbons look gorgeous. You should search for colours that are suitable for chocolate. There are many ways how to apply it to your mold. For instance, with your finger, a brush, a piece of squished foil, a paper, a toothbrush or with an airbrush.
Additional, you can store your remaining chocolate and cocoa butter, as well, wrapped in a foil and zipped into a plastic bag. Keep them in a dark, cold and dry place until next time you make chocolate bonbons.
Here are some more delicious chocolate recipes for you to try: chocolate mousse, extraordinary chocolate zucchini cake or these hazelnut-chocolate pancakes.
Ingredients for about 21 raspberry cardamom chocolate bonbons:
- 20 g raspberry couverture/chocolate chips
- 30 g cocoa butter
- 350 g milk chocolate chips/couverture (25 g+25 g to add into the melted chocolate)
Raspberry ganache:
- 40 ml cream (min 35% fat content)
- 8 g glucose
- 5 g butter
- 40 g raspberry chocolate chips/couverture
Cardamom ganache:
- 90 ml cream (min 35% fat content)
- 10 g glucose
- 1/3 tsp cardamom
- 100 g milk chocolate chips/couverture
Shiny colourful shell
In a small heatproof bowl, melt the cocoa butter and the raspberry chocolate chips (using a water bath or microwave). Once it reached 40-43°C start to cool it down to 26°C by stirring constantly (keep checking the temperature using the thermometer). Then, reheat it back to 28-29°C and start to “paint” your molds. Create any design you like. Then, flip the mold upside-down onto a paper towel and drag it, to wipe off the excess butter. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes.
In the meantime, place two thirds of milk chocolate chips into a clean and dry heatproof bowl. Melt it over a water bath or in a microwave. When it reaches 40°-45°C remove it from the heat and stir in the last third of chocolate chips until melted and cooled. You can use an ice bath as well. Once it reaches 27°C quickly reheat it back to 29°-30°C. Work fast. Transfer it into a piping bag and fill the mold cavities all the way to the top.
Tap the form a couple of times on the counter to remove all the air bubbles. Then, flip the form upside-down holding it over a silicone mat and let the chocolate drip out of the mold cavities. Tap the sides of the mold to remove the excess chocolate.
Once the chocolate stops dripping, use a off-set spatula to scrape the surface of the mold (still holding it upside down). Once “clean”, place it on the table on the long side of the mold or with cavities up. Allow to set for about 20 minutes or the time you will need to prepare the ganache.
Raspberry chocolate ganache
Put the chopped raspberry chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a smaller saucepan, combine butter, glucose and cream. Bring it to a simmer (small wrinkles will appear on the surface) and pour it over the raspberry chocolate chips. Let it sit for 30 seconds. Afterwards, mix it with a whisk until well combined. Transfer it to a piping bag and allow to cool down to 28°C.
At this point, fill each shell one third up and let it set for at least one hour. Place the mold in a cool area. The remaining ganache is to finish the filling up the bonbons after the cardamom ganache.
Cardamom milk chocolate ganache
Afterwards, chop the almonds to a pepper corn size and toast them in a pan until golden. Transfer them into a small bowl or cup.
Then, in a heatproof bowl, add the chopped milk chocolate chips. In the medium saucepan, add glucose, cream and cardamom. Bring to a simmer and then pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 30 seconds and then mix with a whisk to combine. Allow to cool down to 28°C. Stir in the toasted almonds and transfer it to a piping bag.
Pipe the cardamom ganache over the raspberry ganache and fill up the next third of each cavity. Allow to set for at least one hour, in a cool area.
Capping the chocolate bonbons
Reheat the remaining ganache back to 28°C if necessary. Pipe it over the cardamom ganache, leaving room (ca 2 mm) to cap it off with chocolate. Leave the ganache to set overnight in a cool area.
The following day, repeat the tempering process of the chocolate. Once the chocolate has the right working temperature, transfer it into a piping bag. Pipe it over each cavity, give the mold a couple of taps from the side to remove the air bubbles and scrape clean. Allow to set for 20-30 minutes.
Unmolding the bonbons
Finally, remove the homemade raspberry cardamom chocolate bonbons from the mold. Twist the mold to loosen the bonbons and then flip it over onto a clean surface. In case they won’t release easily, place them into the fridge for 3-5 minutes and try again.
Enjoy.
