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Ice Cream Bonbons

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on May 22, 2012

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 16 bonbons)

Ice Cream Bonbons

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream 12 ounces (340 grams) bittersweet chocolate 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts 3 tablespoons flaked, sweetened coconut

Before You Begin

Small scoops of ice cream can easily be made to look like bonbons when dipped in melted chocolate. Dust some bonbons with nuts and others with flaked sweetened coconut for variety. The chocolate hardens very quickly, so sprinkle each bonbon with nuts or coconut as soon as it has been coated. Use any flavor ice cream without chunks or nuts. Vanilla, chocolate, and coffee are all good choices.

Instructions

  1. Scoop ice cream: Line two large plates with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place plates in freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Use very small ice cream scoop to make about 16 balls, each with about 2 tablespoons of ice cream, and place them on two chilled plates. Lightly cover plates with plastic wrap and chill until ice cream is very firm, at least 1 hour.
  2. Dip ice cream in chocolate: Melt chocolate with oil and stir until smooth. Cool completely to room temperature. Remove one plate of ice cream from freezer and, working quickly, use two forks (one in each hand) to dip and roll one ice cream ball in chocolate to cover. Pick up ball by sliding it onto one fork, and let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Return bonbon to lined plate.
  3. Garnish bonbons: If desired, immediately sprinkle bonbon with 1 teaspoon nuts or coconut. Repeat dipping and garnishing ice cream balls remaining on plate, one ball at a time. Return first plate to freezer. Remove second plate of ice cream balls from freezer and repeat process to make 8 more bonbons. Freeze bonbons until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day, before serving.
Ice Cream Bonbons
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Elle Simone.

Ice Cream Bonbons

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 16 bonbons)

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream
12 ounces (340 grams) bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
3 tablespoons flaked, sweetened coconut

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream
12 ounces (340 grams) bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
3 tablespoons flaked, sweetened coconut

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream
12 ounces (340 grams) bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
3 tablespoons flaked, sweetened coconut

Why This Recipe Works

Ice cream bonbon recipes were wildly popular at one national ice cream chain, but we wanted a recipe we could prepare at home. Bittersweet chocolate gave our Bonbons recipe the best flavor, and adding a little vegetable oil to it ensured that it spread smoothly over the balls of ice cream. Scooping the balls of ice cream and refreezing them for at least one hour kept them hard when dipped into the warm chocolate. The chocolate hardens quickly, so we add chopped nuts or coconut for a professional-looking finish.

Before You Begin

Small scoops of ice cream can easily be made to look like bonbons when dipped in melted chocolate. Dust some bonbons with nuts and others with flaked sweetened coconut for variety. The chocolate hardens very quickly, so sprinkle each bonbon with nuts or coconut as soon as it has been coated. Use any flavor ice cream without chunks or nuts. Vanilla, chocolate, and coffee are all good choices.

Instructions

  1. Scoop ice cream: Line two large plates with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place plates in freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Use very small ice cream scoop to make about 16 balls, each with about 2 tablespoons of ice cream, and place them on two chilled plates. Lightly cover plates with plastic wrap and chill until ice cream is very firm, at least 1 hour.
  2. Dip ice cream in chocolate: Melt chocolate with oil and stir until smooth. Cool completely to room temperature. Remove one plate of ice cream from freezer and, working quickly, use two forks (one in each hand) to dip and roll one ice cream ball in chocolate to cover. Pick up ball by sliding it onto one fork, and let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Return bonbon to lined plate.
  3. Garnish bonbons: If desired, immediately sprinkle bonbon with 1 teaspoon nuts or coconut. Repeat dipping and garnishing ice cream balls remaining on plate, one ball at a time. Return first plate to freezer. Remove second plate of ice cream balls from freezer and repeat process to make 8 more bonbons. Freeze bonbons until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day, before serving.

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