Yka Leaves and Champagne Gel with Strawberry and Black Vanilla Ganache Bon Bons

Ingredients  

Ingredients for mould preparation 

• 600g Xoco Gourmet 62% Mayan Red dark chocolate 

Ingredients for Champagne Gel 

• 30g Bramley/cooking apple puree  
• 70g Champagne 
• 2 punnets Yka Leaves – chopped  
• 50g caster sugar for the apple/champagne 
• 2g NH fruit pectin (Sosa Ingredients) (mixed in with the 10g sugar)  
• 10g sugar for the pectin (mixed in with the pectin) 
• 8g glucose syrup 

Ingredients for Strawberry and Black Vanilla Ganache  

• 28g strawberry puree 
• 2g glucose syrup 
• seeds from half vanilla pod Planifolia Black
• 0.5g beetroot powder 
• 63g Xoco Gourmet 40% white chocolate  
• 10g Xoco Gourmet 62% Mayan Red dark chocolate  
• few drops strawberry essential oil 
• Tempered Xoco Gourmet 62% Mayan red dark chocolate to cap the mould 
• Lustre dust (optional and according to your country colour regulations)

Method 

Method for casting mould 

• Temper the 600g Xoco Gourmet 62% Mayan Red dark chocolate and cast your chosen polycarbonate mould. 
• Let crystallise and set aside. 

Method for Champagne Gel 

• Bring the Champagne to the boil with the Yka Leaves, whisk until it becomes a bright purple colour. Cover, leave to infuse and cool for 30 minutes. Pass into a fresh pan squeezing out all the flavour and colour. 
• Mix pectin and 10g sugar together. 
• Bring puree, infused Champagne, glucose and 50g sugar to approx 60C. Rain in pectin and sugar stirring well.  
• Bring to boil and cook to 102C.  
• Remove pan from heat, pour infused gel into a container and leave to cool to around 30-35C. Use a hand blender to blend until smooth (it will become more opaque). 
• Check temperature (adjust as necessary) and when at 25-28C pipe into the base of each cavity until just under half full. 
• Set aside while making the ganache. 

Method for ganache 

• Place the white and dark chocolate into a bowl. 
• Bring to boil strawberry puree, vanilla, beetroot powder and glucose. 
• Pour over the chocolates, stir to emulsify, add strawberry oil to taste.  
• Place in a piping bag and when at 25-28C pipe into the chocolate cavities on top of the Champagne gel to 2mm from the top of each cavity. 
• Leave to crystallise overnight at cool room temperature or in a chocolate fridge for a few hours or overnight. 
• Cap the mould with tempered dark chocolate to seal. Let crystallise and demould. If using, dust chocolates with lustre dust.
• Best before 2 weeks from making, if stored at cool room temperature or in a chocolate fridge. 

Recipe: Shona Sutherland