homemade nonpareils;
Homemade nonpareils are a very simple candy, but there’s something so satisfying about good quality chocolate and the crunchy assortment of rainbow sprinkles that you just don’t get from other candys. With the tiny sphere sprinkles (nonpareils, and hence the name) it has such a satisfying texture of bumps and crunch against the silky rich flavor of the chocolate.
So let’s start with the chocolate. As with most recipes, you can choose your adventure. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing it by now, but I’ll say it loud and proud: I’m a dark chocolate girlie myself. It just has the tiniest hint of bitterness counteracted with the perfect finish of sweetness that keeps you coming back for more.
You can use whatever quality chocolate you want, but in a candy as simple as homemade nonpareils, the chocolate will be front and center to your tastebuds. That said, I honestly use my homemade nonpareils recipe when I have just a bit of extra chocolate I don’t want to waste. So I’ve used everything from tempered chocolate to candy coating in this recipe. They’ll all work, it just comes down to flavor, and perhaps color.
Quality chocolate is key for non patrols since it will be front and center and stand on its own.
secret to success
Tempered chocolate is the hardest and most time consuming but yields the highest quality and most professional results. In order to temper chocolate properly you want to use couverture chocolate which by definition is a high quality chocolate. Starting with a high quality product will make your homemade nonpareils that same high quality. If you want to learn more about tempering chocolate, read all about it here.
The middle tier chocolate will be along the melting wafers line. Brands like ghiradelli have coating wafers that are not exactly pure chocolate because they’re formulated with some additives to help evenly melt and coat various treats. My favorites are Guittard A’Peels in first place for texture and flavor, and ghiradelli for flavor and accessibility. Runner up honorable mention is also Vermont Nut Free Confectioner Discs (formerly Chocoley bada bing bada boom). These all have delicious chocolate flavors but are less TEMPERmental. (See what I did there?!)
For professional quality, you’ll want to temper couverture chocolate.
secret to success
The lowest quality chocolate option for homemade nonpareils is candy coating, often found at craft stores like Michael’s, etc. Now you might ask, “If it’s the lowest quality, why would I use it?” Well even though I personally think candy coatings leave a lot to be desired by way of flavor, they tend to be easily available and also come in the hugest variety of colors.
Baby shower? Super Bowl party? Use candy melts for colored options to bring a little flair to your party!
secret to success
Want to make pink and blue homemade nonpareils for a gender reveal? Quick and easy. Want to make a spooky mix? Grab black candy coating and press in orange ball sprinkles. The possibilities are endless and it’s so easy to mix and match colors without worrying about cocoa butter and oil based colorants, and a whole host of complexities. Just get your favorite colors and make your favorite homemade nonpareils.
Alternatively, keep you standard chocolate and just opt for colored sprinkles. Instead of rainbow non pareil sprinkles , you can get thematic colors. That way you still get a bright pop of the colors you want but don’t have to sacrifice on chocolate quality, for those of us that are purists. Besides, we live in a world where you can get whatever kind of sprinkles you want so take advantage!
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other scrumptious recipes? Check out some of my favorites:
- Chocolate lattice strawberry pie is chocolate strawberry perfection–in pie form! With a flakey chocolatey crust and fresh strawberry filling, this pie is perfect for all occasions!
- Check out my ultimate holiday truffle guide for all my favorite chocolates and truffles, perfect for gifting…or eating!
- Looking for a moist, sweet, and delicious banana bread? This chocolate chip banana bread is super healthy and delicious to boot!
