Buttercream Bonbons Recipes

CHOCOLATE CREAM BONBONS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, pecans, milk and butter. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate overnight., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. (If balls are too soft to dip, freezer until firm, 3-5 minutes.)

MAPLE CREAM BONBONS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and maple flavoring until smooth. Stir in walnuts. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Freeze until firm. , In a microwave , melt chips; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set. Store in the refrigerator.

BON BON CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the shortening and cream cheese until well blended. Stir in the flour, you may need to use your hands to help it form a dough. If the mixture seems too dry, add a couple of teaspoons of water. Cover and chill several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Before rolling out the dough, dust the rolling surface heavily with confectioners' sugar. Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 1x4 inch strips. Place a cherry on the end of each strip. Roll up each strip starting with the cherry. Place on prepared cookie sheets and dust with a little of the confectioners' sugar.
• Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should brown slightly. Dust again with the confectioners' sugar. Allow cookies to cool before serving, the cherries are very hot!

BUTTERCREAM BONBONS

Steps:

• Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until smooth.
• Add vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
• Reduce speed to low. While beating at low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until well mixed. (If mixture is too soft, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to form balls.).
• Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely; refrigerate until firm (2 hours, or overnight if preferred).
• Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
• Insert a toothpick into a buttercream bon bon. Holding the toohpick, dip the bon bon into the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip back into saucepan.
• Place chocolate-covered bon bon on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, and remove the toothpick. Repeat until all the bon bons are coated with melted chocolate.
• Place the sheet of bon bons in the refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.
• Place bon bons in an air-tight container, with a sheet of waxed paper between the layers to keep the bon bons from sticking to one another. Store container in refrigerator (or in the freezer for up to 2 months) until ready to serve.

CHEWY SALTED CARAMEL AND HAZELNUT GANACHE BON BONS

Steps:

• In a 1-quart saucepan, mix together 1/4 cup water and the sugar. Place over medium heat and be sure to clean the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water, to avoid causing sugar crystals, which will affect the final caramel.
• Heat up the cream either in a small saucepan or in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. Once the caramel turns a light amber color, slowly pour in the hot cream. Add the butter and salt, and stir until the butter melts. Once everything is incorporated, cook until a candy thermometer reads 120 degrees F. Pour the caramel over the white chocolate. The heat of the caramel will melt the chocolate. Pipe the caramel when it's hot into silicon molds. Then refrigerate and freeze before you place these on the Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache.
• Pop the frozen caramel right on top of the Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache coins while they're still warm. Sprinkle with the crisp pearls. You are now ready to dip into chocolate.
• To finish the bon bons, melt and temper the chocolate. Dip the caramels in the chocolate and let sit until chocolate sets.
• In a small 1-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Meanwhile partially melt the chocolate and when the cream comes to a boil, pour this over the chocolate. Before you start to mix, add the praline and the corn syrup. Gently mix until the mixture is homogenous. Let mixture cool until it thickens; it will be easy to pipe out of a disposable pastry bag. Pipe into discs, the size of a quarter.

CREAMY ORANGE BON BONS

Steps:

• With a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop balls of vanilla ice cream onto a cold cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in the freezer to reset the ice cream balls to firm.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at medium until liquid, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted, be careful not to burn it.
• Spread the orange drink powder onto a large plate. Roll the ice cream balls in the powder and return them to the cookie sheet. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the ice cream balls. Return to the freezer until ready to serve.

BOYSENBERRY-GRAND MARNIER ICE CREAM BONBONS

Steps:

• To make Boysenberry Ice Cream:
• Sprinkle sugar over berries in small bowl. Let stand 45 minutes at room temperature. Puree berries in processor. Strain through sieve into large bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk yolks in bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes. Strain into berry puree. Refrigerate until cold.
• Place 9x13-inch baking dish in freezer. Transfer berry custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread ice cream in bottom of chilled dish. Freeze.
• To make Grand Marnier Ice Cream:
• Remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in long wide strips, using vegetable peeler. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add 1 cup cream, half and half and sugar. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 30 minutes.
• Remove peel from cream using slotted spoon and discard. Bring cream mixture to simmer. Whisk yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes. Strain into bowl. Mix in 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel, then remaining 1 cup cream. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. Mix in Grand Marnier.
• Transfer custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon over boysenberry ice cream in dish; smooth top. Cover with waxed paper. Freeze until very firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Line 4 small cookie sheets with foil. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Remove 1 sheet. Dip 1 1/2-inch-diameter ice cream scoop into cup of hot water. Working quickly, scoop up layered ice cream. Round off edges with index finger. Release ice cream ball onto frozen sheet. Repeat, forming 15 ice cream balls. Insert 1 toothpick into center of each ball. Return sheet to freezer. Remove second sheet from freezer. Repeat process to form 15 more ice cream balls. Return sheet to freezer. Pack remaining ice cream into container and freeze. Freeze ice cream balls until very firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. Using metal icing spatula, loosen ice cream balls from foil; refreeze.
• For dipping:
• Melt bittersweet chocolate with 1/4 cup shortening in heavy medium saucepan over very low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool to lukewarm. Remove 1 sheet of ice cream balls and 1 foil-lined frozen sheet from freezer. Fill 1/4-cup measuring cup with melted chocolate. Working quickly, hold 1 ice cream ball by toothpick over saucepan of chocolate; pour chocolate in cup over ball, turning to coat. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place bonbon on foil-lined sheet. Repeat with remaining balls. Twist and turn toothpicks to loosen; remove from bonbons. Freeze. Repeat dipping process with remaining ice cream balls and frozen cookie sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• Melt white chocolate with remaining 1 tablespoon shortening in heavy small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Rewarm bittersweet chocolate to lukewarm over very low heat, stirring constantly, Remove 1 sheet of bonbons from freezer. Dip 1 bonbon halfway into white chocolate, covering one side and hole left from toothpick. Place on same frozen sheet. Repeat with 4 more bonbons. Dip spoon into melted bittersweet chocolate and quickly move from side to side over double-dipped bonbons, allowing chocolate to fall in zigzag lines. Dip another spoon into melted white chocolate and wave from side to side over 5 solid chocolate bonbons, allowing chocolate to fall in zigzag lines. Dip finger into melted bittersweet chocolate and dab over top of one of remaining bonbons on sheet, covering hole left from toothpick. Sprinkle chocolate shavings over. Repeat with remaining 4 bonbons on sheet. Return bonbons to freezer.
• Remove second sheet of bonbons from freezer. Dip half of walnut into bittersweet chocolate. Place atop 1 bonbon. Repeat with 4 more walnuts and bonbons. Roll remaining 10 bonbons in bowl of cocoa powder. Brush off excess. Place on same sheet. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container.)