Makes: 56
Chocolate and prickly pear bonbons
This recipe offers a delightful fusion of flavors and textures, making it a perfect choice for those looking to indulge in a sophisticated and exotic dessert experience.
Ingredients
For the chocolate shells
- 50 g green-coloured cocoa butter
- 500 g dark couverture chocolate 66% cacao chopped
For the prickly pear filling
- 300 g prickly pears (Barbary figs)
- 175 g superfine sugar
- 100 ml tequila
Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat, melt the cocoa butter until the temperature reaches 86°F (30°C).
- Using a small paintbrush, paint the cocoa butter into attractive designs over the inside of the molds.
- Let set while you temper the chocolate.
- Transfer the chocolate to the pastry bag and pipe it into the molds filling them completely.
- Invert the molds to allow excess chocolate to drain out, saving the excess for sealing the bonbons.
- Using the scraper, scrape the tops of the molds so the edges are clean.
- Stand the molds upright and let the chocolate set for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Wearing thick gloves to protect your hands from thorns, peel the prickly pears and pass them through the juicer.
- Measure out 4 tsp (20 ml) of the juice and set aside.
- Measure out 80 ml of the juice and place in a saucepan with the sugar.
- Heat until the sugar dissolves and the temperature of the syrup reaches 265°F (130°C).
- Remove from the heat, add the tequila and the 4 tsp (20 ml) juice to stop the cooking.
- Carefully pour the syrup back and forth between two bowls to cool it down. Let cool to about 68°F (20°C) before using.
- Transfer the prickly pear filling (at 68°F (20°C) to the piston funnel and fill the chocolate shells two-thirds full.
- Re-temper the chocolate leftover from making the shells, if necessary.
- Using an offset spatula, divide the chocolate between the acetate sheets, spreading it in a thin layer.
- Invert the sheets over the chocolate molds to seal the bonbons, running the scraper over the acetate sheets to smooth out the chocolate.
- Let set for about 20 minutes before removing the sheets and carefully turning the molds upside down to remove the bonbons.
Extracted from Fruits and Nuts: Recipes and Techniques from The Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by FERRANDI Paris (Flammarion, 2021).
Photography © Rina Nurra
