Utilize leftover chocolate inside homemade bonbons

After most holidays there are inevitable tips about turning leftovers into more food, which can be overwhelming. Instead of having just one Tupperware of turkey, you will have turkey tetrazzini, turkey enchiladas and other dishes taking up room in your fridge.

Instead, wouldn’t it be nice to have a leftover concoction worth giving away? I propose a solution: Take your chocolates, melt them down and make some homemade, filled chocolates that are easy to share. Filled bonbons are a lovely gift in a box tied with ribbon, even after Valentine’s Day.

I experimented with several flavors, so don’t be shy about making your own. I like lilikoi best, but peanut butter filling is a classic as well.

You can find plastic bonbon molds at a kitchen supply store. I’ve bought and used several styles with equal success. My only advice is to never, ever put them in the dishwasher. Or, like me, you will be back at the store to buy new molds.

The thing that scares many people about chocolate making is the process of tempering. You may have heard that this requires a marble slab on which to spread your chocolate for cooling it down. Please. You’re a regular person and you don’t own a marble slab. Well, you don’t need one.

Your chocolates might not be picture-perfect, but they will be perfectly edible. It is best to use a chocolate that feels hard at room temperature, and dark chocolate is easier to deal with than milk. I especially enjoy the Wai­alua Estate Dark Chocolate made locally.

My theory is, if you start with good chocolate, no one will refuse your offering. You might even win a few admirers.

CHOCOLATE BONBONS
2 cups chocolate chips or good-quality dark chocolate, divided
>> Lilikoi filling:
1/2 cup lilikoi purée
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
5 marshmallows
1/2 cup powdered sugar

To make filling, in microwave, heat lilikoi, white chocolate and marshmallows in 20-second bursts, stirring after each. Once completely melted, whisk in powdered sugar.

Filling should be the consistency of very thick soup. Let cool 5 minutes and store in refrigerator.

If using chocolate bar, chop up chocolate into chocolate chip-size pieces.

Heat 1 1/2 cups in a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Bowl should not touch water. Try to use a bowl that has a lip so steam will not get into the chocolate.

Stir chocolate as it melts and heat until it is very hot, runny and shiny. Turn off heat and throw in remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate, stirring until completely melted. Carefully (I use hot pads) remove bowl from saucepan.

With small paint brush, brush chocolate on inside of clean and dry bonbon mold. Do not grease molds. Paint chocolate thick enough so it is opaque; this may take two coats, depending on chocolate. Set molds in refrigerator to cool for several minutes.

Remove molds from fridge and fill each bonbon with about 1 teaspoon filling. Fill nearly to the top.

With the brush, drop chocolate over the filling and try to seal edges while keeping chocolate level with top of mold. Put molds in refrigerator again to set.

After 10 to 15 minutes, remove molds from fridge and pop out bonbons. Tap and bend mold slightly to remove candy.

Eat immediately or store, tightly covered, at cool room temperature or in refrigerator.

Tip: The chocolates will probably sweat a bit when brought out of refrigerator and into a warm room. Place them in small candy foil cups to serve.

Makes 25 to 30 bonbons, depending on mold.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at www.thelittlefoodie.com.