Strawberry Ring Pop Shots Bonbons is a sophisticated adult version of the popular eighties candy, with an intense strawberry flavour.
Ring Pops
Do you remember ring pops? I created these Strawberry Ring Pop Shots Bonbons with the popular eighties/nineties candy in mind. I've included a video showing how I made them, to encourage you to do the same for your sweetheart(s) this Valentine's Day!
As a kid, we sported ring pops like prized pieces of jewelry - edible and in all the colours! To be honest, I wasn't a fan of the taste, so I wore them mostly for the classy touch they added to my school uniform. Ya know, cause candies are a little girl's best friend! AMIRIGHT? 🙂
Valentine's Day Diamonds
Last year, Valrhona sent me samples of their Strawberry Inspiration couverture. This diamond chocolate mold, that had been sitting unused for few years, immediately came to mind. I shared a sneak peek of these bonbons on my Instagram feed, back in October. I planned to blog them for the xmas holidays, but decided to save the post for Valentine's Day.
If you have difficulty finding the strawberry couverture in your area, you can use freeze-dried berries or cocoa butter to colour white chocolate, as I did here. Using the dried fruit powder will give you both the colour and fruit flavour and you can control both by the amount you add. The cocoa butter will provide only the colour.
What better occasion to tempt you with a big, flashy diamond made of chocolate and booze! Making and gifting these Strawberry Ring Pop Shots Bonbons will most certainly impress the recipient(s). They won't need to know how easy an undertaking they it was!
Anatomy Of A Red Diamond
These are stupid simple to make! The Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration is naturally and conveniently red, so no painting or airbrushing cocoa butter required. I added a bit of edible shimmer to the mold for effect, but that is completely optional.
The filling is just as simple; a blend of Absolu Cristal Neutral Glaze, berry liqueur, citrus juice and zest. You can play with the flavours to your, or the recipient's taste. It's the same technique I learned in at a workshop and have used in a number of bonbons, like these, these and these. I promise I will get around to blogging them.
I've put this little video together showing how I made my Strawberry Ring Pop Shots Bonbons, to encourage you to give them a try. When you do, I'd love if you hashtag #isugarcoatit over on Instagram so that I can share on my story.
Unfortunately, I can't find a link for this particular mold on Amazon. However, you can do a search for IT 609, or check with your local, or online chocolate suppliers. If that does not pan out, choose another diamond-like design like this, this or this.
Ingredients
For the shells:
- 1 mold 113g/14oz cavities
- 200 grams strawberry inspiration
- as needed edible lustre dust
- a soft round brush
For the filling:
- 100 grams Absolu Cristal Neutral Glaze
- 45 grams berry liqueur like Chambord
- zest of one lime
- 7.5 grams lime juice
Instructions
Prepare and cast mold:
- Buff your mold (see how to here). Use a soft food-safe brush to apply a thin coat of edible shimmer dust. Clean any excess with a lint-free towel.
- Melt the chocolate to 40/45ºC, drop the temperature to 27/28ºC using the seeding or tabling method. Heat to working temperature of 30/31ºC.
- Fill the mold cavities with the chocolate at working temperature, tap the filled mold to remove any air bubbles. Turn the mold over to drain the cavities and scrape away the excess from the surface. Place the mold face down on a clean surface (I use parchment paper) in a cool area of workspace and allow to set. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to help the shells contract. Slide the shells out of the mold to check that they are in good form.
Make the filling:
- Mix all the ingredients together while cold and transfer to a piping bag. Pipe into the larger half of the mold. Heat the edges of the shallow half of the mold and place over the filled half to cap the mold. Allow to set and use a small sharp knife to clean up the joined edges, if needed.
Leave a Reply