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Chocolate Bonbons

Yield 36

Ingredients

6 oz semisweet chocolate
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (4 oz) chopped hazelnuts or almonds

Ingredients for Frosting

1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Line 36 miniature muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over hot water, or in microwave.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Add eggs, mixing well. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla and nuts.
Spoon a small amount of chocolate mixture into lined mini-muffin cups, filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake 8 minutes. Bonbons will be soft and look under-baked but will become firm as they cool. Cool in muffin pans.
To prepare frosting: In a small heavy saucepan, mix cream and sugar. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, Stirring constantly. Simmer 5 minutes. Add chocolate and stir to melt. Stir a spoonful of chocolate mixture into the egg yolk to warm it slightly. Add egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Add butter; stir until melted. Stir in vanilla.
Spoon frosting over each bonbon. Garnish tops of bonbons with nuts, chocolate sprinkles, crystallized violets or candied cherries. There will be leftover topping.
May be refrigerated up to 1 week or freeze. Serve cold.