Martha Washington Bonbons (plus low and no sugar options)

With the holidays fast approaching, home-made candies and confections are a time honored family tradition.

From vintage to modern — this is a recipe from the late 1800′s — which is still being made today — although with some slight variations here and there.   I will even be including my own tips for making a low sugar or no sugar diabetic friendly variation!

 

Martha Washington Bonbons

These candies originate from and are named after the, once upon a time, very popular Martha Washington ice cream and candy shop chain which existed in the late 1800s.

 

Filling:

1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
8 cups (2 lbs) powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (12 to 14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups very finely chopped pecans

 

Coating Options:

36 to 48 ounces of —

Hershey’s solid Milk chocolate candy bars (or higher quality)

OR

Hershey’s Special Dark (semi sweet) chocolate candy bars (or higher quality)

OR

semi sweet chocolate chips or discs or chunks

OR

choose a true, quality 45 to 70 percent pure dark chocolate — preferably one that is 65 to 70 percent and much lower in sugar and carbs instead for heart healthy anti-oxidants.

However, chocolate will need to be properly tempered!

Temper only half of the chocolate at a time for this recipe.

Properly tempered the chocolate should be set well in just a few minutes.

 

Properly Tempering Chocolate

OR

Otherwise, you can use flavored almond bark instead of real chocolate which is mostly vegetable fats and sugar — with some added artificial coloring and artificial flavoring — which requires no tempering.    Quick, easy, and cheap — but you get what you pay for!   It does not taste as good as real chocolate and (especially when compared to a good quality dark chocolate) has none of the anti-oxidants and heart health benefits.

 

Finely chop the maraschino cherries and set aside to drain well on several layers of paper towel.

Line at least two large baking sheets with waxed paper and set aside — with one at room temperature —  but be sure to chill the other one.

When ready, pat the finely chopped cherries dry with additional paper towels.

Combine the chopped cherries and filling ingredients well using clean hands.

Form into balls and place on the chilled lined baking sheet.

Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.   This will firm up the balls of filling as well as continue to chill the baking sheet which will help to keep them chilled longer for dipping.

Temper chocolate or melt almond bark and dip balls to coat. Place on other lined baking sheet.

Place on counter or table away from heat for the chocolate to finish setting up at room temperature.

Store single layered in airtight container.

Decorating:

After being dipped, the bonbons may be decorated if desired with previously toasted and fully cooled coconut or pecan chips sprinkled lightly on top.

Another alternative is to cut pecan halves in half, or quartered, or leave the pecan halves whole and place on top each bonbon. It just depends upon the size of your bonbons as to the size of the nut needed or desired.

And/or they may be striped with melted chocolate which is lighter (milk chocolate) if coated in dark chocolate, or darker (dark chocolate) if coated in a lighter milk chocolate, or you can use white chocolate.

To stripe, cut a VERY tiny hole in either a piping bag tip or in the corner of a zippered plastic bag, then test it out on a small plate or saucer first, trim a bit larger if needed, test again, repeat, and when just right it is safe to use and you can stripe the bonbons.    If you cut the hole too large then you will have to get another bag and start over so it is better to trim only a very little off at a time.

Or, top each with a tiny previously hand made chocolate candy (such as white chocolate tinted green and after it has set,  being decorated as a Christmas tree,  or a milk chocolate reindeer, or little snowmen).

I haven’t found any candy molds tiny enough to use for making little decorative chocolate candies small enough for topping bonbons — so instead I draw templates on waxed paper or parchment and pipe them out in tempered chocolate(s) in the size desired.

Yield: Approximately 5 to 7 dozen bonbons (depending upon size)

 

For a sugar free or low sugar version:

Choose your chocolate carefully.

Omit (sugar free) or use only half to a quarter or less (lower/low sugar) of the cherries.

Use the following sugar free versions for condensed milk and confectioners sugar:

Sugar Free Confectioners Sugar

1 cup granulated sucralose/Splenda (or other sugar substitute that measures cup for cup — IF not being heated or cooked)
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup powdered milk
yields 1 3/4 cup sugar free powdered sugar

Blend or food process to powdered sugar consistency and store in airtight container.