Valentine’s Day Bonbon for Two
Part 1: Blood Orange Gel
Ingredients
Method- 300g Blood Orange Juice
- 150g Water
- 150g Granulated Sugar
- 6g Agar Agar
- 2g Vanilla Bean Paste
- In a pot, add all the ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow container. Allow to set up in the fridge.
- Once firm, puree in a blender until evenly smooth.
- Pass through a strainer and reserve until needed in a piping bag.
Part 2: Almond Crunch
Ingredients
Method- 50g Panko
- 30g Butter
- 1g Salt
- 5g Vanilla Bean Paste
- 150g Almonds (roasted)
- 80g Caramelized Sugar
- 25g Cocoa Nibs
- 14g deZaan Crimson Red Cocoa Powder
- Toss the panko with the melted butter, salt, and vanilla bean paste.
- Bake at 180°C/350°F for about 10 minutes, until evenly golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the roasted almonds and caramelized sugar.
- Blend until smooth and transfer to a bowl with the panko mixture, cocoa nibs, and deZaan Crimson Red cocoa powder.
- Mix until evenly combined.
Part 3: Grand Marnier Caramel
Ingredients
Method- 200g Granulated Sugar
- 100g Butter
- 100g Cream 35%
- 1g Sea Salt
- 3g Soy Lecithin
- 5g Vanilla Bean Paste
- 5g Orange Zest
- 50g Grand Marnier
- In a pot, caramelize the sugar.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter followed by the cream.
- With a hand blender, blend in the salt, lecithin, vanilla, orange zest, and grand marnier.
- Allow to cool and reserve in a piping bag until needed.
Part 4: Whipped Crimson Red Ganache
Ingredients
Method- 285g Cream 35%
- 114g Glucose
- 1.25g Sea Salt
- 184g Brown Sugar
- 57g Milk Powder
- 120g deZaan Crimson Red Cocoa Powder
- 13g Vanilla Paste
- 50g Butter (soft)
- Place the cream, glucose, sea salt, brown sugar, and milk powder in a pot. Bring to a simmer and ensure everything has dissolved.
- Pour the cream mixture over the deZaan Crimson Red cocoa powder with the vanilla bean paste. With a hand blender, blend until smooth. Then, blend in the butter.
- Strain and chill overnight.
- Once set, whisk the ganache until firm. Reserve in a piping bag until needed.
Part 5: Pink Velvet Spray
Ingredients
Method- 500g Cocoa Butter
- 500g White Chocolate
- 10g Pink Cocoa Butter
- Gently melt all the ingredients together.
- Adjust the color to your preference.
Part 6: Stiff Royal Icing
Ingredients
Method- 90g Egg Whites
- 454g Confectioners' Sugar
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar.
- Reserve in a piping bag until needed.
Part 7: Assembly
Ingredients
Method- Chocolate Shell (70mm X 35mm half sphere polycarbonate mold)
- 8g Blood Orange Gel
- 15g Almond Crunch
- 16g Grand Marnier Caramel
- 35g Whipped Crimson Red Ganache
- Velvet Spray
- Royal Icing
- Prep the polycarbonate molds with dark chocolate.
- In each mold, layer in your filling starting with the blood orange gel, followed by the almond crunch and caramel. Finish with the ganache. Close off the molds.
- Once set, unmold the bonbons and reserve them chilled. This will help with the setting of the velvet spray.
- Spray the bonbons evenly with the velvet spray.
- Pipe a heart on each one and paint or splatter the heart with gold luster dust.
