As nearly all bon-bons are made in the same manner, we will explain
very carefully how to make one or two kinds, and after you understand
the idea, you may make any shape, color, or flavor you desire. We will
now tell you how to make pink, rose flavor bon-bons, in several shapes.
Take a small amount of bon-bon cream, and from one third to one half as
much ground cherries and citron (see article on Bon-Bon Fillings) as
you have bon-bon cream, and with your hands work and knead them well
together. This center, especially, is very sticky, and you will be
obliged to work enough XXXX or confectioners’ sugar into it to make it
stiff enough so that you can mould it up into different shapes easily.
Right here we will say that in getting the XXXX sugar, do not allow
them to give you XXX sugar, as it is a little gritty, while XXXX sugar
is as smooth as flour. Of course, if you cannot obtain XXXX sugar the
other will do, but is not so nice.
After you commence kneading this bon-bon cream and fruit, add a little
sugar at a time, knead it in well and as soon as you get the mass so
it feels a little dry, it is ready to mould up. You must use a little
judgment in doing this, as you only need work sufficient sugar into it
to make it stiff enough so that the centers will retain their shape
after being moulded. If you wish any flavoring, put a few drops into
it while you are working in the sugar. In centers where you use only
chopped nuts, and no fruit of any kind, it is not necessary to use
much, if any sugar at all, as the nuts have a tendency to make the
cream work up dry. Sometimes bon-bon cream is stickier than it is at
other times, so if necessary use the sugar, but never use any other
than XXXX or confectioners’ sugar.
When worked sufficiently, cut off a piece and roll it with your hands
into a long roll about as large around as a cigar; then cut in small
pieces about one half inch long and roll each of them in your hands
until they are perfectly round, then lay them on a piece of wax paper,
and when they are all moulded, set them in a cool place for a while
until they harden a little. We advise rolling out in this manner before
cutting up to roll into balls, as it will enable you to get them all
about the same size. If you find upon starting to roll them into balls
that it is still too sticky, you must knead in a little more sugar.
Do not get the centers too large, as your bon-bons are much prettier
when small. Bear this in mind in all bon-bon making, as most amateurs
have a tendency to make their bon-bons and chocolates too large, and
the more dainty your candy looks, both as to size and color, the better
it tastes. After making part of them round, take the remainder of the
mass and pat it out into a flat piece about one-half inch thick and
cut it up in strips seven-eighths inch wide; then take each strip and
cut it into pieces about one-half inch wide and here you have oblong
centers seven-eighths by one-half inch, which are for the centers of
bon-bons, on top of which you put a nut. Remember, after these centers
are coated they will be quite a little larger than this, and you must
try and keep them small enough so that after they are coated, the half
of an English walnut will almost completely cover the top of them.
Of course if you use a smaller nut for the top, your bon-bons will
necessarily be larger than the nut, and still they will not be large
enough to look bad. The ones upon the top of which you use the half of
a pistachio nut, must necessarily be considerably larger than the nut.
We give you these little details, as they improve the looks of your
candy so much, and you will be able to make them to look pretty the
first time, and not be obliged to experiment any in order to get the
correct size. If you wish to use a pistachio nut on these, they are
prettier if you cut these centers =square=, instead of oblong, making
them about five-eighths or three-fourths inch each way.
Experience alone will teach you as to how much bon-bon cream it will be
necessary to melt up in order to cover the centers you have moulded.
Put your bon-bon cream in the double boiler with boiling water under
it, keep it on the fire and stir continually, that is, do not let it
stand over a few minutes at a time without stirring, and when it is
melted, flavor with a few drops of rose flavoring and color a delicate
pink with Damask Rose coloring (Burnett’s), by adding a little at a
time until you have the desired shade. It will probably be necessary to
add a few drops of cold water to your fondant while melting in order
to make it thin enough. Add the water very =sparingly=, as it does
not require much to thin it, and if you get too much in, your bon-bons
will not harden for you after being coated, and neither will they, if
the cream is not hot before dipping. Test it the same as you do center
cream, by sticking your tongue to it, and you should not allow it to
get as hot as you do the center cream. Practice alone will tell you
about how thin it should be. You must have it so that when you dip the
bon-bons out and lay them on wax paper, they will not stick to the
dipping fork, but drop off readily, and as you lift the fork the cream
will string out a little so that you may make any design you wish on
the top. After dipping a a few, you will understand more about this and
will have no trouble. As soon as thin enough, and colored and flavored,
set the double boiler on your table, leaving it in the hot water to
keep it warm. You must avoid sitting in a draught while coating these,
as this cream hardens very quickly. Now pick up a center, and with the
dipping fork in your other hand stir the cream thoroughly on one side
to break the crust which forms on top, then drop in the center, push
it under with the fork, then stick the fork underneath it so it will
rest as near the end of the fork as possible, lift it up and scrape off
most of the surplus cream hanging to it by drawing it over the edge of
kettle, then quickly turn your fork over and lay the bon-bon on the wax
paper, lift the fork, and with the cream that strings up with it, make
the design on top, by twisting it in the form of a knot. Do this by
moving your fork quickly in a circle. You will see by this, as you lift
the bon-bon out of the cream, the side, or bottom rather, which you
scrape off on the edge of the kettle, is the top of the bon-bon after
you turn your fork over and lay it on the paper; so do not scrape it
off too much, as it is necessary to leave a little cream hanging there
in order to have some lift up with the fork with which to make the
design on top.
This whole operation, after you set the cream over on the table to
commence dipping, must be done very rapidly, and you will soon learn to
drop these centers in, lift them out, lay them on the paper, and make
designs, with almost =one continual motion=, which is very necessary,
as the bon-bons harden in a few seconds after lifting them out of
the cream, and must be dropped from the fork very quickly or they
will stick. You must stir this cream with a spoon occasionally while
dipping, and it is necessary each time you throw a center in, to break
this crust with the dipping fork first. When your cream commences to
thicken so that they do not drop readily from the fork, add a few
drops of cold water and stir it in well, and continue the dipping. If
you have had it off the stove for quite a while, it is better to set
it back until the water under it boils again, then add a little cold
water, take it off, and continue the dipping. In dropping these off the
fork, press it down so that your bon-bon will touch the paper, when it
will stick a little, and you can easily lift your fork up. On these
pink bon-bons, a little of the finely chopped pistachio nuts sprinkled
over them, and pressed down slightly so that it will stick, makes them
look very pretty. This must be done immediately after lifting the fork
as they will harden in a few seconds.
In coating the oblong centers, when you lift the fork, simply allow the
cream that comes up with it to drop back on the bon-bon, then quickly
lay on the half of an English walnut and press it down a very little.
These bon-bons do not stick to this wax paper a particle and are =set=
perfectly in a few moments after dipping them. They should be perfectly
smooth all over, and very glossy, and will be like this if you have
your bon-bon cream the right consistency when dipping them.
All bon-bons are coated in the same manner, and after you have tried
it once or twice it will be very easy, and you will be able to dip
a great many of them in a few moments, as you must necessarily work
rapidly after your cream is once melted up. These are the swellest
bon-bons made, and putting the chopped fruit and nuts in the center
in this manner, and dipping them as directed, seals them up perfectly
air-tight, and consequently they will keep for quite a while. You may
use any combination of nuts or fruit that you wish in these centers,
but always put in enough of either in order to have them taste
sufficiently. We will now give a few ideas in regard to making other
colored and flavored bon-bons, but if you have any ideas of your own
you may adopt them.
Many candy makers make fine cream, but spoil it when melting the same
because no matter how good the cream is, it can be spoiled when a
little too much heat is applied. It is also a great mistake to reheat
the cream more than once without getting it too watery and it will then
dry out in a short time.
There is no dipping cream made that will keep the gloss for any length
of time.
Do not attempt to make bon-bons at night, because it is difficult to
get the colors the right shade. A color may look dainty at night, but
be hideous in day time, especially yellow and lavender. Colors and
flavors should be delicate as the taste of the candy seems to improve
with its appearance. When adding colors always add a little at a time.
More may be added but none can be taken out.
You will find from experience that it will always be necessary to melt
more fondant than you will need to coat the centers you have made,
because you must have a certain amount in the double boiler in order
to dip them successfully. As you get to the bottom you will find it
thickens very quickly and you will have to add more water. Do not get
into the habit of adding too much water while dipping the bon-bons as
it will spoil their looks; it is liable to dilute the coating so that
it will not be hard enough.
If you have melted too much it is not wasted. Have some shelled nuts
ready and coat them after you have finished with the centers, or flavor
the remaining cream with either peppermint or wintergreen, as these
flavors will kill any flavor that you have used. With a spoon, drop it
on wax paper in wafers.
If, after you have centers for chocolate coating and do not wish to
coat all that you have made, they may be dipped in melted fondant the
same as any other center.
If bon-bons become soft when brought into a warm room, it indicates
that too much water was used when dissolving the fondant, or it was not
heated enough.