Tuesday 23 December 2008

Chocolate Puddini Bonbons

This is yet another successful Nigella recipe from her Christmas book. I made these Chocolate Puddini Bonbons to serve alongside my Star-Topped Mince Pies with coffee on Sunday, when I had my in-laws over for the day. They may look like baby Christmas puddings but these babies taste like meltingly rich, spiced chocolate truffles! Everyone loved them and my mother in law was pleased to see I had added a box of them in their Christmas Hamper.

Chocolate Puddini Bonbons

Ingredients
125g best-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
350g leftover, or freshly cooked and cooled, Christmas pudding
60ml sherry
2 x 15ml tablespoons golden syrup

For the decorations:
100g white chocolate, finely chopped
6 red glacé cherries
6 green glacé cherries or 6 short lengths angelica

Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the fridge) with clingfilm, baking parchment, foil or Bake-O-Glide, and set it to one side while you make the bonbons.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended above a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Crumble the cold Christmas pudding into a bowl, add the sherry and golden syrup and stir briskly till all is incorporated.

Pour in the melted dark chocolate and stir again: this will make the mixture much more cohesive.

To make this step easier, put on a pair of those disposable vinyl gloves sold in hardware stores and supermarkets, pinch out small lumps of mixture and roll so that you have little rounds about the size of a chocolate truffle. You should get about 30 out of this mixture; fight the impatient urge to make these balls larger as you go.

Cover with clingfilm and slot into the fridge to firm up.

To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines, then let it cool for about 5 minutes, to make it easier to work with, while you chop the red cherries into small pieces (to evoke berries), and snip the green cherries (or angelica) into miniature lengths, to represent leaves.

Using a teaspoon, drip a little of the melted but slightly cooled white chocolate on each bonbon, then arrange the infuriatingly sticky pieces of cherry on top.

Place in boxes to give away -- if you use small boxes that will fit 6 bonbons each, you will get 5 adorable presents out of this -- or on a plate to hand round with coffee, instead of dessert, after a post-Christmas dinner.

Makes about 30

Make ahead tip:
Make the bonbons up to 2 weeks before eating or giving. Pack in boxes and store in a very cool place. If made 2 weeks ahead, add a label to say "keep cool and eat within 1 or 2 days".

24 comments:

Anne said...

They are gorgeous looking, so cute!

Tina Butler said...

Those turned out awesome. So fetive. Merry Christmas!

Reeni said...

Their so beautiful! I wish I had a few to pop in my mouth right now. YUM!!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

They are so cute and such an easy recipe too! I imagine they taste great :)

Jules said...

I saw Nigella make these and wish I had time to make them before xmas. They look delicious.

Semlan said...

The are adorable!!
But I am lost, (hi hi) I don´t even know step one: what chrsitmas pud is like or how to make it...

Maria said...

Love these! Merry Christmas!

Sweet Treats by Dani said...

cute and delicious... i love it when they pair up :)
Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats said...

Now I just have to get Nigella's Christmas book. These look lovely.

Nickki said...

They are just gorgeous Maria. I must give these a try. Merry Christmas xx

Nic said...

They look delightful! I made something similar, must photo it though!

Bimmer said...

very very cute! :)

Merry Christmas!

arista said...

they are so sweet!

Anne said...

I made these as gifts after seeing in the book and on your blog (I couldn't resist!) and they went down really well as gifts, of course I sampled one or two...

Was surprised how quick and easy they were to assemble - before the icing part anyway!! I had no sherry so used Disarrano, which was perfect I thought! :)

Happy new year x

Kelly-Jane said...

They are gorgeous Maria!

Barbara said...

I live in the US , and was wondering what golden syrup is. Could you let me know through an email> Thank you.

Maria♥ said...

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments.

Light corn syrup will be the equivalent to golden syrup.

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

So sweet! I like how you used white chocolate to give the tasty illusion of snow :).

Unknown said...

mine haven't firmed up. been in the fridge since last night and still squidgy and sticky... i've got 50 in there and wondering how to save them. how firm should they get anyway?

i wonder if i should roll them in something?

Maria♥ said...

Hi Rosalind

I'm not sure why they haven't firmed up but they should be at the stage where they are firm enough to roll and keep their shape. Youc ould try adding more xmas pudding to the mixture if its too liquidy. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Maria
x

Timmy said...

I would imagine more chocolate is what makes them firmer, since it sets when they are chilled.

If they won't totally set, I'd probably roll them in some icing sugar to dry up the outside.

Sam said...

Do they need to be made 2 weeks in advance?

Maria♥ said...

Sam they do not have to be made 2 weeks in advance.

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

I also had trouble with the Chocolate Puddini bonbons firming up. It maybe because I forgot to cook the Xmas pudding! So I just cooked it slowly in the microwave once the choc and sherry had been mixed in! I added some crushed up Amaretti biscuits and 25g more melted chocolate and hey presto the mixture seemed ok to make into balls and has firmed up in fridge. Phew.