As some of you may already know, I make custom cakes for clients here in Austin, Texas, which means I make A LOT of buttercream. Because of that, last week I found myself with a serious surplus of egg yolks in my refrigerator. I thought about cooking them up as a treat for the dogs, but I think they’re fat enough as is! So instead I decided to make homemade ice cream. I made a rich chocolate cookies and
cream ice cream, and I cannot stop eating it! It is so rich, though, that I can only eat it in small quantities…and what better way to have a few bites of ice cream than encased in a crunchy chocolate shell! Bon bons are the most delicious combination of a truffle and an ice cream treat. And the best part is, they are not nearly as difficult to make as they look!
BON BONS Yield: 25 pieces
- 1 pint Ice Cream
- 16 oz Chocolate Chips
- 6 oz Oil
To make the bon bon making process stress free, you’ll want to get all of your supplies in order before you begin. You can use any flavor of your favorite ice cream, or make your own! I always use a dark chocolate, but you can mix that up to your liking also. Milk chocolate or white chocolate will both work perfectly. The oil has a few options too…you can use canola oil, coconut oil, or cocoa butter.
- The first
thing we need to do is line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. While those are freezing, you can scale out your chocolate and oil. You will also need a fork, a tablespoon or melon baller (metal works best), and a small container of hot water.
- Once your baking sheets are nice and cold, it’s time to scoop the ice cream! Take one of your frozen baking sheets out of the freezer. Take your tablespoon or melon baller and let it sit in the hot water fo
r a few seconds. Then scoop your ice cream into little balls using the hot tablespoon or melon baller, and set your ice cream balls onto the frozen sheet pan. After you’ve scooped all of your ice cream, place the baking sheet back in the freezer so the ice cream can harden up again. 
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While your ice cream balls are firming back up in the freezer, its time to melt the chocolate. Combine your chocolate with the oil you have chosen to work with, and either microwave it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until melted, or melt it over a double boiler on the stove. Make sure your chocolate mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Time for the fun part! Take your baking
sheet with the ice cream balls out of the freezer, as well as the second empty baking sheet, and place them on your work table. Put your bowl of chocolate in the middle and make sure you have your fork ready!
- Drop one of your ice cream balls into your bowl of melted chocolate. Use your fork to completely cover the ice cream ball with chocolate. Lift the ice cream out of the chocolate using the fork and allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fork along the edge of the chocolate bowl to remove more of the excess chocolate, and then gently slide the ice cream off of the fork onto the empty, frozen baking sheet.
- Continue dipping your ice cream balls into the chocolate until all of them are coated. If your ice cream becomes
too soft to work with, just put your baking sheets back in the freezer for a few minutes so they can firm up again. If your chocolate becomes too thick, you can put it back in the microwave for 30 seconds or place it back on your double boiler for a few minutes. Speed is key in this process!
- Once all of your ice cream is covered in chocolate, you have a baking pan full of bon bons! Place the baking pan back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes so the ice cream can harden. Then it’s time to plate and serve your frozen treats!
