Monday, February 13, 2012

Easy Valentine’s Bon-Bons


Baked goodies in pretty paper and cute little boxes are ultimate gifts of love. Baked goodies that taste bad in pretty paper and cute little boxes are Rude! These bon-bons are a pretty fail-proof way to surprise those you love with a DIY gift that could pass as straight from the bakery. 

For the easiest way: Go to your local grocery store and buy a brownie mix with raspberry filling or raspberry swirls. 

You will need:
  • Pillsbury Brownie Minis mix with filling
  • White chocolate melting chips
  • Microwave safe bowl or double boiler
  • Valentine's Day edible confetti sprinkles
  • Mini muffin cups
Bake according to package directions. In this case you are to cover the bottom of each muffin dish with the brownie mix, squeeze some raspberry filling over the center, and dollop the remainder of the brownie mix over the top of each. I did not bake the full time as directed by the box. I am not insinuating giving your loved-ones salmonella, just do not make them crispy. 

Let them cool for a few minutes. During this time you will want to prepare for your next step. You will want to line a cookie sheet or baking dish of some sort, that will fit in your freezer, with wax paper. And set aside. In the case of the mini cupcakes I used, divide each in half. After allowing the brownies cool for a bit, using clean hands, roll each half into a ball about the size of a large marble. 

Place each of the marble-size balls on to the wax paper covered cookie sheet. I covered them with plastic wrap to keep any freezer smells out. Let them chill in the freezer and go to the gym! You’ll need it because you will not give every last one away without tasting it. And unless you have absolute self control, you’ll taste it again. I have that kind of self control, really I do, and I ate three. So, by the time you have gone to the gym and had a real workout…not stood next to the treadmill talking to your friend that is on the treadmill slinging sweat all over you...your little naked bon-bons should be nice and firm. 

Have your melting chocolate ready before removing the bon-bons from the freezer. It’s very rare that I use a microwave for anything other than canned soup, but if you are a microwave nut in this case melting chocolate in the microwave can be permissible. On the other hand, I used white chocolate chips in a double boiler with a touch of oil. Slowly increase the heat on your range. Truthfully, I am not a good chocolate melter. I have botched this process may times. Keep from scalding the chocolate and you won’t have any problems. The Wilton candy dipping tools are worth the purchase. They are inexpensive, as in under $5.00. Print a coupon from your local craft store and they will totally be worth the price. Use the dipping tools...or a fork/spoon if you decide to refuse my advice...to submerge the brownie balls one at a time into the white chocolate. When the ball is fully coated, lift it out with the dipping tool and place back onto the wax paper. I did not like the shape of some of the balls following the coating process. Before they were completely cooled I rolled them in my clean hands to reestablish that perfectly round shape. While the white chocolate is still sticky sprinkle edible Valentines themed confetti over the top of each bon-bon. After the chocolate is no longer malleable place the bon-bons in mini cup cake foils. I kept them in the refrigerator until giving them away. 

If you have a great brownie recipe and feel like taking hours to strain the seeds from raspberries to make raspberry sauce you are free to do that too. I’m sure it would be phenomenal! You can also find tubes of fruit fillings at your local baker’s supply store.

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