The flowery and muscatel notes of black tea from Darjeeling have prompted tea connoisseurs to dub it the “champagne of teas,” which make it a perfect, non-alcoholic choice for rehydrating the dried apricots in the filling of these candies.
Apricot-Darjeeling Bonbons
Serves: 30
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon loose- leaf Darjeeling black tea*, divided
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 70% cacao
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups dark chocolate candy coating
- 1⁄3 cup dried apricots
- 3⁄4 cup hot (200°) water
- Garnish: gold luster dust
Instructions
- In a medium heatproof, microwave-safe bowl, combine cream and 1 teaspoon loose-leaf tea. Microwave on high in 10-second intervals just until cream begins to steam. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain cream through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Return cream to bowl. Add bittersweet chocolate and butter. Microwave on high in 10-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate and butter melt. Stir to combine. Cover and let ganache cool to room temperature.
- In another medium heatproof, microwave-safe bowl, place candy coating. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until candy coating melts and is fluid. Fill the 3-ounce wells of 2 (15-well) molds** three-fourths full, spreading candy coating up sides of wells and then tapping to settle candy coating and ensure evenness. Invert over a bowl, and tap to remove excess. Scrape surface with a spatula or bench scraper to clean edges, reserving unused candy coating. Freeze molds for at least 15 minutes until ready to use.
- In a small heatproof bowl, place apricots.
- In a heatproof liquid-measuring cup or in a 2-cup teapot, place remaining 1 tablespoon loose-leaf tea. Pour 3⁄4 cup hot water over tea leaves, and let steep for 4 minutes. Strain tea leaves out, and pour brewed tea over apricots. Let hydrate for 20 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon tea liquid, and discard remaining.
- In the container of a blender or in the work bowl of a small food processor, process together apricots and reserved 1 tablespoon tea liquid until completely puréed.
- Remove chocolate mold from freezer. Spoon 1⁄2 teaspoon apricot purée into each prepared well of mold.
- Spoon ganache into a piping bag, and cut a 1⁄4-inch opening in tip of bag. Fill each well three-fourths full with ganache, approximately 1 teaspoon each.
- Remelt remaining candy coating in microwave oven as before. Top ganache layer of each well with candy coating. Tap once more to settle fillings. Refrigerate until firm, at least 20 minutes.
- Invert mold, and firmly tap against counter to release bonbons.
- Garnish with gold luster dust, if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and serve within a week cold or at room temperature.
Notes
*We used Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling Black Tea from The Boulder Tea Company, available at boulderteaco.com or by calling 303-817-7057.
**We used Freshware 15-cavity Silicone Tiered Square Molds, available from amazon.com.
**We used Freshware 15-cavity Silicone Tiered Square Molds, available from amazon.com.
