A vegan dark chocolate shell envelops a creamy pumpkin and cashew butter filling and crunchy salted pepita brittle. These vegan dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons are the perfect treat for Halloween or any autumnal get-together.
Originally this post was going to be a savory dish with the sweet potatoes I grew in my garden. But I really wanted to get in one more autumnal treat before Halloween thus these dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons were born! They’re an updated and refined version of a pumpkin truffle I posted on my blog wayyyyy back in 2015. And, they’re a pretty good representation of everything I’m looking for in a Halloween treat: a little dark chocolate, some creamy pumpkin, subtle spices, and a crunchy and salty element.
A bonbon might sound like something incredibly fancy but it’s essentially a confection whose filling is coated in chocolate. While they’re often made in fancy molds, they can also be as simple as a peanut butter cup in a paper wrapper. I don’t own any candy molds so I made mine with some silicone ice cube molds! Each bonbon has a dark chocolate coating, a sweetened pumpkin and cashew butter filling, and a layer of salted pepita brittle.
How to Make These Pumpkin Bonbons
- First things first, you’ll melt your dark chocolate over a double boiler. You can do this by filling a small pot with an inch of water, nesting a metal or glass mixing bowl on top, then placing the chocolate into the bowl. You’ll bring the water to a simmer and the rising steam will gradually melt the chocolate. This ensures it doesn’t burn!
- Coat your candy mold with the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip out. Place the mold in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to harden.
- While the chocolate hardens, you’ll make your filling components. For the pumpkin portion, you’ll simply whisk together pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Set this aside, then make the salted pepita brittle. You’ll toast the pepitas in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, you’ll add the maple syrup. Once it thickens and the pepitas clump together, spread them out onto a sheet of parchment and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Time to fill the candy molds! Whisk the pumpkin filling once more before your put it into a piping bag (or a sandwich bag with the tip cut off). Cut the brittle into small pieces (they have to fit into your mold). Fill each chocolate shell with some of the pumpkin filling and top with a few pieces of the brittle. Then, park your filled mold back in the freezer to allow the filling to solidify.
- Re-melt your chocolate in the double boiler. Then, carefully pour enough into each mold to cover the filling. Level the chocolate out with a palette knife, then place the mold back in the freezer one last time to let the final layer of chocolate set.
- Un-mold your chocolates! Since we didn’t temper the chocolate, it’s best to keep these in the fridge or freezer until you’d like to enjoy one.
Ingredients and Equipment You’ll Need
- A mold for making your bonbons. I used a silicone ice cube mold but you could also use a mini muffin tin lined with mini muffin cups! Or, if you’re feeling fancy, you can use a traditional bonbon or candy mold like this one.
- Some basic kitchen equipment you most likely have: a small stock pot, a few metal or glass mixing bowls, a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag, a skillet, a spatula or wooden spoon, parchment paper, a palette knife or butter knife, and a smaller measuring cup with a spout.
- A couple of vegan dark chocolate bars for the outer shell.
- Pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a tiny pinch of finely ground sea salt for the creamy filling.
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), maple syrup, and flaky sea salt for the crunchy salted pepita brittle.
Looking for more Halloween-y treats?
Pumpkin is always a great option for Halloween! How about these maple glazed pumpkin scones or these pumpkin cookies with whiskey vanilla glaze? Or if you’re not a pumpkin fan, try these almond shortbread sandwiches with dark chocolate ganache.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A vegan dark chocolate shell envelops a creamy pumpkin and cashew butter filling and crunchy salted pepita brittle. These vegan dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons are the perfect treat for Halloween or any autumnal get-together.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces vegan dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup cashew butter
- 1 pinch finely ground sea salt
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 pinches flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
Set up a double boiler. You can do this by filling a small pot with an inch of water and nesting a metal or glass mixing bowl on top. You don’t want the bowl to touch the surface of the water. Set the double boiler over medium heat. Roughly chop your chocolate, then add it to the bowl. Watch the chocolate and once it starts to melt, stir it every few seconds. Once the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat.
Pour some of the chocolate into each individual mold, turn it with your hands to help coat each candy mold with the melted chocolate. Invert the candy mold over your bowl of melted chocolate to let the excess drip out. Place the mold in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to harden while you make the filling components.
For the pumpkin filling, whisk together the pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl until smooth. Set this aside for now.
Next, you’ll make the salted pepita brittle. Toast the pepitas in a large skillet over medium heat. Make sure to swirl the pepitas around in the pan as they toast so that they don’t burn. Once they’re beginning to turn golden and pop, add the maple syrup. Stir constantly in order to coat all of the pepitas in the syrup. Cook for only 1-2 minutes or until the syrup has thickened and the pepitas are clumping together. Turn the brittle out onto a piece of parchment paper and flatten them into an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the flaky sea salt. Set the brittle aside to fully cool and harden. You can leave it on your counter or place it in the fridge to speed up the process!
Once the brittle has hardened, it’s time to fill your candy molds. Remove your mold from the fridge. Cut the brittle into small pieces (they have to fit into your mold). Then, whisk the pumpkin filling once more before putting it into a piping bag. You can do this with a sandwich bag with the tip cut off. Fill each chocolate shell with some of the pumpkin filling and top with a few pieces of the brittle. Make sure not to overfill the mold with the fillings as you’ll still need room for the final layer of chocolate. Park your filled mold back in the freezer to allow the filling to solidify. It will take about 15-20 minutes for the filling to sufficiently harden before you add the final layer of chocolate.
While the filling hardens, re-melt your chocolate in the double boiler. To finish your bonbons, carefully pour enough chocolate over each mold to cover the filling. Level the chocolate out with a palette knife or the back of a butter knife, then place the mold back in the freezer one last time to let the final layer of chocolate set.
When you’re ready to enjoy your bonbons, simply un-mold them. Since we didn’t temper the chocolate, it’s best to keep these in the fridge or freezer until you’d like to enjoy one!
With my mold, I had enough for about 16 large bonbons but this will vary depending on the size of your candy mold.
Notes
- I used two and a half 3.2-ounce vegan dark chocolate bars and this was plenty. Feel free to use your favorite vegan dark chocolate bar! I used this one.
- If you don’t have a candy mold or silicone ice cube tray, you can do this with a mini muffin tin lined with mini paper liners just like you would if you were making peanut butter cups.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dessert
