Bonbon

A Bonbon is usually a chocolate covered candy with a fruity, nutty or creamy interior. The term bonbon is used to describe a number of candies, but bonbons generally consist of some sort of filling that has been coated in a layer of milk or dark chocolate.http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=bonbon&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h=0 In the United States, bonbons are typically made up of ice cream or cream cheese, as opposed to the nuts and fruits found in Europe.

• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1 pound milk chocolate, chopped
• 1 ounce vegetable shortening

Although bonbons are often associated with European culture, their essential ingredient (chocolate) is actually a product of Central American and South American Indians. It is thought that the Olmec Indians were the first to cultivate them, and the Mayan Indians are known for creating cocoa plantations in the Yucatan. Originally, chocolate was consumed as a bitter drink, similar to coffee.

Spanish explorers discovered chocolate quickly upon their arrival in the Americas, and writings on the use of cocoa date back to Hernando Cortez. Once the beans were brought back to Europe, the Spanish began adding sweeteners and other flavorings to chocolate drinks. In the mid 16th century, a Frenchman opened the first chocolate shop in the city of London, England. and over the next 20 years people began using chocolate in its solid form in pastries and chocolate rolls. It was at Prince Albert's Exposition in 1851 that the bonbon as we know it was discovered by Americans.http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/chocolate.htm