PINKY PORTER SCHOOL OF COOKING
The Legend of Eva Sinclair
Eva's Chocolate Bonbons
The Legend of Eva Sinclair
As with most of Pinky's recipe's you will find they all have a story, and this one is no exception. Through the years the stories may change a bit, but the recipes stay the same.
Eva Sinclair, as I was always told, was once a beautiful pin-up girl during the years before World War Two. I can't say that she ever modeled for the famous Varga, or that her image ever graced one of his calendars, but her fame in my Grandmother's little town in Texas, was legendary. She was a natural beauty and her smile was known to warm the coldest room.
When the war started, all the young men married or single, rich or poor, headed for Europe to protect their homes. One of those young men happened to be the love of Eva's life, Parker.
As the months passed, and the people prayed, the country started selling War Bonds to help finance their cause. With an incentive of future gain on their investments, the government sent out representatives all across our country, to sell the bonds. Their job was to start on the many small towns and enlist the help of anyone who had a voice to help. Eva Sinclair was, of course, the first choice for her small town.
Eva didn't take this lightly because she wanted the war to end, and anything she could do was a labor of love. Her grandmother had made candies for as many years as she could remember, and they had always been given as gifts since it was usually all she could afford to give. In a way her hand-dipped chocolate bon-bons were as famous as Eva's beauty.
Eva decided to made the chocolates and give one for each war bond that was purchased. Her slogan was "buy a bond, get a bond-bond," which she wrapped in beautifully colored little squares of tissue paper.
I can't say that Eva's love, Parker, ever made it home, or if she ever modeled again, but today you will be making something from our past, knowing that it once helped our great country.
Eva's Chocolate Bonbons
Chocolate:
Three medium size packages chocolate chips (Eva used squares but I have changed this over the years)
1 cube paraffin wax or parowax
Melt in a double boiler. If you don't have one just place a sauce pan over a pan of boiling water. I will show you how to do this in class. Melt the wax first and then add the chocolate. The wax gives the chocolate a "snap."
Filling:
2 boxes powdered sugar- have an extra box because you sometimes have to make the filling a little stiffer
1 cube margarine
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 cups nuts
1 cup coconut
maraschino cherries
food coloring
Mix sugar and butter in large mixing bowl. Gradually add the powered sugar.
Next add the condensed milk. Once it is mixed you need to place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
When ready, divide the filling into bowls. Now you can get creative and make all different kinds of candy. For instance you can use walnut or almond flavor and nuts mixed with cherries, just cherries and nuts, filling with coconut. You can dye your filling or it can be plain. I have many flavors you can use and experiment with.
You roll the filling into your desired size, place on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer until frozen. Next dip into the warm chocolate and place on waxed paper to dry. You can use a toothpick to hold the candy while you dip. Slide off the stick onto the wax paper. The chocolate sets quickly and any excess will stick to your candy and it won't be as pretty, so be careful.
Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.