Brittles, Barks, and Bonbons

Chocolate bark is not difficult to make. It is a type of candy, but it’s also a good example of the fact that candy doesn’t necessarily have to be incredibly difficult to make in order to be good because the basic recipe consists only of melted chocolate. It’s a great jumping off point to making your own candies at home. Brittles, Barks and Bonbons is a cookbook dedicated to fairly simple treats, like chocolate bark, and is also a good starting place if you want to get your foot in the door with candy-making.

The book has four main sections: Barks/Toffee, Brittle, Truffles and Bonbons. The bonbon category includes pralines, nougat, caramels and mints, and is a bit of a catch-all for the treats that don’t easily fit into the outher three chapters. There is a lot of variety in each section, abd because the techniques used within each chapter are similar, you should come away with a great base in how to make each type of treat without getting tired of truffles or bored of brittle.

The recipes are written clearly and are easy to follow. Every one is broken down into logical steps and includes hints as to how to get the best results (preventing the candy from sticking to your pan, etc.). The photos are lovely, but there aren’t photos of everything, so you’lll either have to use your imagination or make a few batches yourself to fill in the gaps. This book would be a great choice if you like to make homemade gifts to give out around the holidays (or for any occasion) and would be a good gift itself if you have friends and family who like to do the same.