Tiramisu Bon Bons Recipes

OLD-SCHOOL TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 9x5" loaf pan and line with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang. Whisk coffee, rum, salt, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a shallow dish until sugar and salt dissolve. Chill until ready to use.
• Whisk cream and mascarpone in a medium bowl just until smooth. Set aside.
• Pour water into a large saucepan to come 2" up the sides and bring to a simmer. Combine egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp. water in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over pan and reduce heat to low so water is at a bare simmer. Using an electric mixer (or a large whisk and a friend to fill in when your arm cramps), beat mixture on medium-high until eggs triple in volume and are extremely pale yellow and mixture forms a slowly dissolving ribbon when drizzled over itself in bowl, 5-7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Using clean beaters (or whisk), beat reserved cream mixture until medium peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and gently fold until no streaks remain.
• Working one at a time, dip ladyfingers into chilled coffee mixture and let soak just long enough for them to soften, 1-2 seconds per side. Lay 8 cookies in prepared pan (it's okay to smush them in a bit). Spread one-third of filling over. Layer another 8 soaked ladyfingers on top and spread half of remaining filling over. Repeat layers one more time with remaining ladyfingers and filling. Cover pan with plastic wrap; chill tiramisù until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours (longer is better; you'll get cleaner slices and the layers will be fully set).
• Invert a small platter or a large plate over top of loaf pan, hold together tightly, and flip them over so plate is underneath. Set on a work surface and carefully remove pan. Peel away plastic wrap from tiramisù; discard. Generously dust tiramisù with cocoa powder. Serve in slices, dusting with more cocoa powder if desired.
• Do Ahead: Tiramisù (without cocoa powder) can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

CLASSIC TIRAMISù

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until very pale yellow and about tripled in volume. A slight ribbon should fall from the beaters (or whisk attachment) when lifted from the bowl. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, wiping out the medium bowl used to whip the yolks and set aside.
• In the medium bowl, whip cream and remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar until it creates soft-medium peaks. Add mascarpone and continue to whip until it creates a soft, spreadable mixture with medium peaks. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the sweetened egg yolks until combined.
• Combine espresso and rum in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• Using a sifter, dust the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (an 8x8-inch dish, or a 9-inch round cake pan would also work here) with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture -- they are quite porous and will fall apart if left in the liquid too long -- and place them rounded side up at the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat, using half the ladyfingers, until you've got an even layer, breaking the ladyfingers in half as needed to fill in any obvious gaps (a little space in between is O.K.). Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the ladyfingers in one even layer. Repeat with remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
• Dust top layer with remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Top with shaved or finely grated chocolate, if desired.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (if you can wait 24 hours, all the better) before slicing or scooping to serve.

BUTTERSCOTCH BON-BONS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over barely simmering water, whisking until completely melted. Melt butterscotch morsels in a large glass bowl in the microwave on 50 percent power, whisking after 1 minute, and then returning to microwave for 1 more minute.
• With a small ice cream scoop, scoop as many ice cream balls as desired, place them on a sheet tray, and put tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until re-frozen. Drizzle melted butterscotch and chocolate over ice cream scoops. Return to freezer until ready to serve.

CHEWY SALTED CARAMEL AND HAZELNUT GANACHE BON BONS

Steps:

• In a 1-quart saucepan, mix together 1/4 cup water and the sugar. Place over medium heat and be sure to clean the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water, to avoid causing sugar crystals, which will affect the final caramel.
• Heat up the cream either in a small saucepan or in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. Once the caramel turns a light amber color, slowly pour in the hot cream. Add the butter and salt, and stir until the butter melts. Once everything is incorporated, cook until a candy thermometer reads 120 degrees F. Pour the caramel over the white chocolate. The heat of the caramel will melt the chocolate. Pipe the caramel when it's hot into silicon molds. Then refrigerate and freeze before you place these on the Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache.
• Pop the frozen caramel right on top of the Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache coins while they're still warm. Sprinkle with the crisp pearls. You are now ready to dip into chocolate.
• To finish the bon bons, melt and temper the chocolate. Dip the caramels in the chocolate and let sit until chocolate sets.
• In a small 1-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Meanwhile partially melt the chocolate and when the cream comes to a boil, pour this over the chocolate. Before you start to mix, add the praline and the corn syrup. Gently mix until the mixture is homogenous. Let mixture cool until it thickens; it will be easy to pipe out of a disposable pastry bag. Pipe into discs, the size of a quarter.

CREAMY ORANGE BON BONS

Steps:

• With a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop balls of vanilla ice cream onto a cold cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in the freezer to reset the ice cream balls to firm.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at medium until liquid, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted, be careful not to burn it.
• Spread the orange drink powder onto a large plate. Roll the ice cream balls in the powder and return them to the cookie sheet. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the ice cream balls. Return to the freezer until ready to serve.

TRA VIGNE'S CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU

Steps:

• To make the mousse, combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and place in the microwave and cook on high heat for 45 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone and chocolate mixture with an electric mixer at medium to medium-high speed until soft and creamy. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg yolks and sugar until frothy, about 30 seconds on high. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the egg mixture into the chocolate-cream cheese mixture until blended. Cover the mousse and refrigerate until ready to assemble the tiramisu. (You should have about 2 cups mousse. The mousse may be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
• To make the zabaglione, prepare an ice water bath. Combine the yolks, rum, Marsala and 1/2 cup sugar in the top of a double boiler. Place over (not touching) barely simmering water in the lower pan and whisk vigorously, or beat with an electric mixer, until the mixture begins to foam. Whisk continuously until the mixture triples in volume and thickens to form soft mounds when the whisk is lifted, about 7 minutes. Immediately place the top of the double boiler in the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, beat the 1/2 cup heavy cream until it begins to foam. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into the cooled zabaglione. Cover and chill for several hours before assembling the tiramisu. You should have about 2 cups.
• To assemble the dessert, in a small bowl or pitcher, add the sugar to the hot espresso. Stir well to dissolve the sugar, then add the rum.
• Cut off the top of the cake and reserve for another use (see Chef's Note). Cut the cake in half horizontally. Arrange a layer of cake, cut side up, in the bottom of a deep 2 1/2-quart bowl. Moisten evenly with some of the espresso syrup. Spread half the mousse on top, and then spread half of the zabaglione on top of the mousse. Arrange the second layer of cake, again cut side up, on the mousse. Moisten well with syrup. Spread the remaining mousse on top in an even layer, followed by the remaining zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. With a vegetable peeler, cut curls of chocolate to garnish the top, or dust with cocoa.