Enjoy a traditional winter treat in a new avatar. These til chikki bonbons are fun, festive and delicious chocolate candies with a decadent, crunchy sesame brittle ganache filling. Bonbons are a bit more time-consuming (and fiddly) to make than regular chocolate truffles, but don’t let that intimidate you. Before attempting this recipe, I highly recommend watching this video of Valrhona TV’s Molded Chocolate Bonbon Essential Techniques to gain an understanding of the bonbon making procedure. For the sake of convenience, I have used compound chocolate instead of courverture in my recipe. Happy Lohri, Makar Sankranti and Pongal to all who celebrate!

Recipe

Til Chikki Bonbons

(Makes about 20 pieces)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely chopped semi-sweet or bitter chocolate, divided
1/4 cup double/heavy cream (I used Amul Heavy Whipping Cream)
1/2 cup coarsely crushed til gud chikki/sesame brittle
1/2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over a medium-low flame until it reaches a gentle boil. Turn off the heat. Add 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate into the saucepan. After 30 seconds, stir well until all the chocolate is completely melted and you get a smooth, silky ganache.

Let the chocolate ganache cool to room temperature. Stir in the crushed til chikki/sesame brittle and mix well to incorporate. Refrigerate the mixture for a few hours until firm. Roll small portions (about half a teaspoon each) of the chilled sesame brittle-chocolate ganache into balls. Place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 30 minutes.

To Make the Bonbons -
Melt the remaining cup of chopped chocolate with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in a microwave or over a double boiler. Spoon the melted chocolate onto the cavities of a silicone or domed polycarbonate bonbon mold, making sure to completely coat the inside. Invert the mold over the bowl of melted chocolate to allow any excess chocolate to drip out. Turn the mold right side up and use a bench scraper or palette knife to scrape off the excess chocolate. Place the mold in the refrigerator until the bonbon shells are set (for a detailed description of bonbon making, watch this video).

Remove the polycarbonate mold from the fridge. Also remove the chocolate ganache balls from the freezer. Place a ganache ball inside each bonbon shell and press down lightly.

Reheat the remaining chocolate to melt it. Spoon it over the bonbon shells to seal them. Use a bench scraper or palette knife to scrape off the excess chocolate. Place the mold in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes or until the chocolate is set. Unmold the bonbons by inverting the mold and tapping it on the kitchen counter.

Drizzle some melted chocolate over the bonbons and sprinkle a few toasted sesame seeds on top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. Store the til chikki bonbons refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.