Go Back
Homemade Bordeaux Chocolates Recipe
Print Recipe

Homemade Bordeaux Chocolates

Creamy brown sugar fudge centers dipped in luxurious dark chocolate, with chocolate sprinkles on top. Penuche is the old-fashioned name for these chocolate centers, but they taste like a See’s Bordeaux copycat.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling Time50 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: candy, chocolate, cooked candy, dipping chocolate
Servings: 104 Teaspoon-Sized Chocolates
Author: Kim Melanson

Equipment

  • Candy Thermometer
  • Small saucepan (for calibrating thermometer)
  • 4-quart Cooking Pot
  • Wooden Spoon or Silicon Spatula
  • Pastry Brush
  • Stand Mixer with metal bowl (or hand mixer and metal bowl)
  • Microwave-safe bowl for dipping chocolate
  • Dipping tool or fork
  • Wax Paper
  • Candy Cups (#4 size)

Ingredients

  • 4 ½ cups (907g) light brown sugar
  • 1 cup non-dairy creamer
  • ½ cup unsalted butter sliced in 1 TBS pieces
  • 4 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Add when candy is cooling:

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Dipping:

  • 3 pounds Callebaut Belgian Couverture Dark Chocolate or Guittard Couverture French Vanilla Dark Chocolate or your choice of dipping chocolate
  • ½ cup Callebaut Vermicelli Sprinkles or Guittard Gourmet Decoratifs or any all-chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

  • Calibrate your thermometer and adjust the recipe's target cooking temperature to the boiling point temperature of water today.
  • While the thermometer is testing the boiling water temperature, gather all ingredients and tools.
  • Measure first 5 ingredients and place in a large (4 quart) cooking pot.
  • Attach candy thermometer to side of the large cooking pot and bring to a rolling boil on high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until sugar is dissolved, which is typically about the time bubbles are starting to rise to the top.
  • Once the sugar mixture reaches boiling, use a pastry brush and water to wash down sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan, and behind the candy thermometer.
  • Cook the sugar mixture without stirring to 237° F (114° C).
  • When the sugar mixture has reached temperature, take the candy off the heat immediately.
  • Pour hot sugar mixture into the metal bowl of a stand mixer (or a metal bowl for a hand mixer). DO NOT SCRAPE the edges of the cooking pot. It will cause crystallization.
  • Add vanilla to top of hot sugar mixture, but DO NOT stir.
  • Let sugar mixture cool to 110-120° F. It takes about 50 minutes in the metal bowl of my Kitchenaide. (For other cooling methods, see blog post.)
  • When sugar mixture has cooled, use the paddle attachment to beat--adding air so the candy will set up.
  • Continue beating on medium speed for about 15-20 minutes or until mixture loses its glossiness and holds shape. The candy will still be slightly warm.
  • Pour onto parchment paper on countertop or baking sheet.
  • If the candy hardens… no worries. Just knead it with you fingers until it’s soft and pliable again.
  • Use a metal teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop some of the candy and roll it into a ball.
    Place balls on a parchment or wax paper covered baking sheet for dipping
  • Prepare chocolate for dipping. (See blog post for details on melting chocolate.)
  • Dip candy centers in chocolate with a dipping tool. Place on wax paper to harden.
  • Sprinkle with all-chocolate decoratiff sprinkles immediately after you place the chocolate on the wax paper and before it hardens.