Christmas Puddini Bonbons
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA CHRISTMASIntroduction
These are delectable little bonbons made by mixing up cooked and cooled Christmas pudding (see Additional Information below), liquor, syrup and melted chocolate, rolling them into small balls, then dripping melted white chocolate on them and arranging small pieces of red and green glacé cherries on top. And, although they look like miniature Christmas puddings, they taste like meltingly rich, spiced chocolate truffles. These babies have got everything going for them.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
These are delectable little bonbons made by mixing up cooked and cooled Christmas pudding (see Additional Information below), liquor, syrup and melted chocolate, rolling them into small balls, then dripping melted white chocolate on them and arranging small pieces of red and green glacé cherries on top. And, although they look like miniature Christmas puddings, they taste like meltingly rich, spiced chocolate truffles. These babies have got everything going for them.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 30
For the Bonbons
- 125 grams best-quality dark chocolate (finely chopped)
- 350 grams cooked and cooled christmas pudding (see Additional Information, below)
- 60 millilitres pedro ximenez sherry
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
For the Decoration
- 100 grams white chocolate (finely chopped)
- 6 red glace cherries
- 6 green glace cherries (or 6 short lengths angelica)
For the Bonbons
- ⅔ cup best-quality bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
- 2¾ cups cooked and cooled christmas pudding (see Additional Information, below)
- ¼ cup pedro ximenez sherry
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or light corn syrup
For the Decoration
- ½ cup white chocolate (finely chopped)
- 6 red candied cherries
- 6 green candied cherries (or 6 short lengths angelica)
Method
- Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the fridge) with clingfilm, baking parchment, foil or Bake-O-Glide, and set it to one side while you make the bonbons.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended above a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Crumble the cold Christmas pudding into a bowl, add the Pedro Ximénez sherry and golden syrup and stir briskly till all is incorporated.
- Pour in the melted dark chocolate and stir again: this will make the mixture much more cohesive.
- To make this step easier, put on a pair of those disposable vinyl gloves sold in hardware stores and supermarkets, pinch out small lumps of mixture and roll so that you have little rounds about the size of a chocolate truffle. You should get about 30 out of this mixture; fight the impatient urge to make these balls larger as you go.
- Cover with clingfilm and slot into the fridge to firm up.
- To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, then let it cool for about 5 minutes, to make it easier to work with, while you chop the red cherries into small pieces (to evoke berries), and snip the green cherries (or angelica) into miniature lengths, to represent leaves.
- Using a teaspoon, drip a little of the melted but slightly cooled white chocolate on each bonbon, then arrange the infuriatingly sticky pieces of cherry on top.
- Place in boxes to give away — if you use small boxes that will fit 6 bonbons each, you will get 5 adorable presents out of this — or on a plate to hand round with coffee, instead of dessert, after a post-Christmas dinner.
- Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the fridge) with clingfilm, baking parchment, foil or Bake-O-Glide, and set it to one side while you make the bonbons.
- Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended above a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Crumble the cold Christmas pudding into a bowl, add the Pedro Ximénez sherry and golden syrup or light corn syrup and stir briskly till all is incorporated.
- Pour in the melted bittersweet chocolate and stir again: this will make the mixture much more cohesive.
- To make this step easier, put on a pair of those disposable vinyl gloves sold in hardware stores and supermarkets, pinch out small lumps of mixture and roll so that you have little rounds about the size of a chocolate truffle. You should get about 30 out of this mixture; fight the impatient urge to make these balls larger as you go.
- Cover with clingfilm and slot into the fridge to firm up.
- To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, then let it cool for about 5 minutes, to make it easier to work with, while you chop the red cherries into small pieces (to evoke berries), and snip the green cherries (or angelica) into miniature lengths, to represent leaves.
- Using a teaspoon, drip a little of the melted but slightly cooled white chocolate on each bonbon, then arrange the infuriatingly sticky pieces of cherry on top.
- Place in boxes to give away — if you use small boxes that will fit 6 bonbons each, you will get 5 adorable presents out of this — or on a plate to hand round with coffee, instead of dessert, after a post-Christmas dinner.
Additional Information
NOTE: I made this using some leftover pudding, foil wrapped and waiting to be gratifyingly recycled (though you could buy a mini one, microwave it and leave it to get cold) and adding a slug of my beloved Pedro Ximénez — since that was the alcohol I’d originally put into the pudding — and an ooze of golden syrup before compacting it with melted dark chocolate, but you could just as easily add rum or brandy.
MAKE AHEAD:
Make the bonbons up to 2 weeks before eating or giving. Pack in boxes and store in a very cool place. If made 2 weeks ahead, add a label to say "keep cool and eat within 1 or 2 days".
NOTE: I made this using some leftover pudding, foil wrapped and waiting to be gratifyingly recycled (though you could buy a mini one, microwave it and leave it to get cold) and adding a slug of my beloved Pedro Ximénez — since that was the alcohol I’d originally put into the pudding — and an ooze of golden syrup before compacting it with melted dark chocolate, but you could just as easily add rum or brandy.
MAKE AHEAD:
Make the bonbons up to 2 weeks before eating or giving. Pack in boxes and store in a very cool place. If made 2 weeks ahead, add a label to say "keep cool and eat within 1 or 2 days".
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Show more commentsI make these every year for a festive get-together with our neighbours and they ALWAYS go down a treat!
Absolutely gorgeous. Everyone I have made them for has loved them. (Note: the recipe does not work with gluten free Christmas pudding)
Beautiful! I just love chocolate and Christmas pudding.
Very pretty and a delightful alternative to a box of chocolate. Definitely a gift for a sweet tooth.
Ah, rich and dark.... didn't last the day.
I made these and they didn’t last until Christmas Day. They were rich and delicious and I think I used a bit more than the stated amount of alcohol. Even Christmas pudding haters consumed them with gusto. Highly recommended.
Absolutely delicious and a great suggestion by wires on 14/12/17 re decoration but I would probably wait for the mixture to dry a bit before rolling as mixture is very wet.
I make these every year and the process has become one of the highlights of the season. I like to play with different alcohols (or substitute pomegranate juice for the t-total folk). I also don't do the fiddly snipping of cherries and use shop bought sugar holly decorations: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0043J955U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1