Heaven in a Very Small Package
These lovely things are a Swedish confection, allegedly beloved of Sarah Bernhardt; actually beloved of yours truly. The base is marzipan; the filling is a barely salty, barely sweet, incredibly light (but rich!) buttercream; the topping is dark chocolate.
I found these quite accidentally at a Swedish bakery near a home where we used to live. We aren’t close enough any longer for me to just stop by for a nibble or two, which might be a good thing . . . One day, though, I’m going to have to try to make them. What if we move out-of-state? Best to be prepared.
Flora’s Recipe Hideout has what looks like a good recipe. I’d watch that oil in the topping though — it makes for a smoother finish, but a purist like me would rather just have pure dark chocolate, even if it does look a bit lumpier.
Martha Stewart has a recipe online, too, but it looks unnecessarily complicated (which isn’t really a surprise).
Sometimes, these confections are actually called “Sarah Bernhardts”, but I’ve noticed that there are a few rather dubious concoctions by that name online — including some glop made with oatmeal. Beware of imitations!