Chocolate Bonbon Recipe

Temper chocolate

Chop the dark chocolate fine and weigh out 340 g. Melt 2/3 of the chocolate (about 225 g) with the cocoa butter, if using, in a heatproof bowl over a simmering water bath (sous vide off) until it reaches 45-48°C (113-118°F). Remove from heat and add the remaining chopped chocolate (about 115 g) stirring until it cools to 31-32°C (88-90°F) for dark chocolate. Keep warm over the water bath, maintaining that temperature.

If you are not tempering precisely, you can use tempered couverture or use the seeding method above and keep temperature stable. Do not overheat or allow to seize.

Make pistachio praline

Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small heavy saucepan, spread 80 g sugar in an even layer. Warm over medium heat without stirring until the sugar melts around the edges; gently swirl the pan to encourage even melting. Once fully amber (watch closely to avoid burning), remove from heat and immediately stir in the pistachios so they are evenly coated. Pour the hot praline onto the prepared sheet and let cool and harden.

Process praline

When cool, break the praline into pieces and pulse in a food processor until it becomes a coarse paste. Add the cream, butter and salt and continue processing until smooth but still slightly textured — a thick paste that can be piped or spooned (about 60–90 seconds). If mixture is too stiff, warm briefly (in 5–10 second bursts in microwave) to reach a pipeable consistency.

Prepare gelatin

Sprinkle gelatin over 15 ml cold water and let bloom for 5 minutes.

Cook raspberries

In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, 30 g sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until raspberries break down and sugar dissolves (about 6–8 minutes). Remove from heat and press through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, yielding a smooth puree (about 130–140 g puree).

Incorporate gelatin

Return a few tablespoons of the warm puree to the bloomed gelatin to dissolve it, then whisk that back into the remaining warm puree until fully incorporated and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. Allow the puree to cool to about 30–35°C (86–95°F) so it will set but still be pourable.

Pour the cooled raspberry gelée into a shallow small container or squeeze bottle to make filling the molds easier. Refrigerate briefly if needed until slightly thickened but not fully firm (about 10–15 minutes).

Make chocolate molds (first coat)

Using a polycarbonate bonbon mold or silicone mold with small cavities (approx. 20–25 small bonbons), pour tempered chocolate into each cavity to fully coat. Tap the mold to remove air bubbles, then invert over a tray and scrape the excess chocolate off with a bench scraper leaving the cavities fully lined and open at top. Place mold in the refrigerator for 5–8 minutes to set until the chocolate is firm but not excessively cold.

Fill with pistachio praline

Pipe or spoon a layer (about 3–4 g) of pistachio praline into each chocolate-lined cavity, leaving room in the center for the raspberry gelée and for sealing with chocolate. Smooth lightly and chill for 5 minutes to firm slightly.

Add raspberry gelée

Pipe approximately 1.5–2 g (or about 1/2 teaspoon) of the slightly set raspberry gelée into the center of each praline-filled cavity so the gelée is enclosed by pistachio praline but not touching the mold edges (leave about 2–3 mm gap to the rim for sealing). Chill the mold briefly until the gelée firms enough not to run (about 10–15 minutes).

Seal and demold

Reheat any reserved tempered chocolate to working temperature (31–32°C) if it has cooled. Pour tempered chocolate over the cavities to seal, scraping the top clean with a bench scraper. Invert the mold, tap gently to release and allow excess to fall out. Place mold in refrigerator for 5–10 minutes to fully set. Carefully turn the mold over and tap to release the bonbons onto a tray.

Finish

Optional: brush a tiny amount of neutral oil onto the bonbon tops for extra shine and press a few chopped pistachios or pistachio dust onto the top before the chocolate fully sets. Let bonbons rest at cool room temperature (16–20°C) for at least 24 hours to allow chocolate to set fully and flavors to meld before serving.