KJL's TV Dinners: "I Love Lucy" Kramer's Kandy Kitchen Chocolate Bonbons

Speed it up a little! Without a doubt, I Love Lucy is one of the most successful, iconic television sitcoms of all time. Starring the real-life Hollywood couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the 1950's sitcom focuses on the wacky situations with Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, and their two best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz (played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance). 

During the 1950s, audiences fell in love with Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel. The four characters became friends to viewers. Nearly 70 years later, we still love the show. We still love the characters and the show makes us laugh like we're watching it for the first time. This will never change. 

I Love Lucy cast (photo/Wikimedia Commons).

Today on the blog, I'm celebrating I Love Lucy and Valentine's Day by featuring a dessert from one of the show's most famous episodes: "Job Switching." In this episode, it's the men versus the women. Ricky and Fred bet they can take care of the home while Lucy and Ethel get jobs. Both parties realize it's a lot harder to do their spouse's work than they thought. 

Lucy and Ethel head out into the workforce to find jobs, and they end up at Kramer's Kandy Kitchen. At first, they're separated, with Lucy being placed in the chocolate dipping room with an expert candy maker. It seems easy to dip chocolate, but Lucy has no idea what she's doing. Meanwhile, Ethel is working in the boxing department, but her curiosity gets the better of her when she keeps pinching the chocolates to see what kind they are. 

This leads to the girls being reunited at the factory's wrapping department. You have probably seen this classic, iconic scene. As the chocolates roll down the conveyor belt, Lucy and Ethel are supposed to wrap them in paper before the chocolates head to the boxing department. If one piece of candy gets past them unwrapped, they're fired. 

The I Love Lucy episode, "Job Switching" (photo/CBS News).

Unfortunately, the conveyor belt picks up the pace, sending the chocolate zooming past Lucy and Ethel. There's no way the girls can keep up. They ultimately have to stuff the chocolate candy in their mouths, uniforms, and hats. It's a hilarious scene that will forever be one of the most iconic moments in television history. 

Chocolate Bonbons 

Lucy and Ethel might be sick and tired of chocolate after working at Kramer's Kandy Kitchen, but the real recipe for chocolate bonbons is absolutely delicious. Inspired by Jenn Fujikawa's brand new cookbook, The I Love Lucy Cookbook: Classic Recipes Inspired by the Iconic TV Show, the chocolate bonbons are rich and fun to make. 

The recipe requires making a smooth ganache filling and coating it with melted bittersweet chocolate. You can top the candy with a garnish of your choice. As you'll see, I chose walnuts, but you can use whichever garnish you prefer (sea salt, crushed peppermint, or nuts). Unlike Lucy and Ethel, you won't have any problems preparing and wrapping these sweet treats, which could be the perfect dessert for Valentine's Day. 

For the filling, you will need the following ingredients: 

• 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. butter, cubed
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla 

For the coating, you will need the following ingredients: 

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. nuts, sea salt, or crushed peppermint, for the topping decoration 

In a saucepan over low heat, add the whipping cream and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Whisk in the semisweet chocolate. Add the butter and vanilla, and then stir until you have a smooth mixture. 

Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and let it cool completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 hours. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small scoop to form balls of the refrigerated chocolate. If you don't mind getting messy, you may also just use your hands to form the balls. Arrange the chocolate balls about one inch apart on the baking sheet. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

 

Chocolate bonbons. 

In the microwave, melt half the bittersweet chocolate (about one minute). Stir in the remaining chocolate and mix until you have a smooth chocolatey coating. 

Use a fork or kitchen tongs to dip the chocolate balls into the melted chocolate. Set them on the parchment paper and immediately add a small sprinkle of your topping for the decoration. It's important to add the topping as soon as possible before the melted chocolate coating sets. 

When the chocolate is set, the bonbons are ready to serve. You might be tempted to stuff your face with them. Or, you can impersonate Lucy and Ethel and try to wrap them as quickly as possible. You might not be successful, but you'll have plenty of fun. Speed it up a little! 

-KJL-