The word ‘bon bons’ stems from the French word for good, “bon”, and has come to describe any sweet or candy with a fondant, liquid, fruit or nut centre. Chef Dilene Cranna shows us how to create these exquisite masterpieces.

3kg cornflour
1kg cake flour
125g clean castor sugar
75g water
75g Van Der Hum liqueur

Method

1. Mix the cornflour and flour together and sieve 3 times.
2. Place the starch into a bain marie and heat in a moderate oven. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, repeat this for 3 days (this process will dry the starch out and ensure good crystallization).
3. Before making the mixture for the bon bons, heat the starch gently, level the surface and make indents into the starch in the shape you’d like to use.
4. Place the castor sugar and water in a clean pot and bring to a boil of 115°C.
5. Warm up the Van Der Hum but do not boil.
6. When the sugar mixture reaches 115°C pour the warm liqueur into the sugar and then pour the mixture back into the liqueur pot. Repeat this 3 times until the sugar and liqueur are mixed. Do not stir the mixture.
7. Spoon the mixture into the indents already made in the starch.
8. Sieve warm starch over the top and leave for 2 hours, then gently turn the bon bons over.
9. Leave for a further 6 to 8 hours in the starch, then remove and dust with a soft brush.