-
1
Make the Hazelnut Praliné
15 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant, then rub them in a tea towel to remove the skins. Melt the sugar in a clean pan over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber caramel. Tip in the warm hazelnuts, stir once, and pour the mixture onto baking paper to cool completely. Break it up and blitz in a food processor until it turns into a smooth, spoonable praliné paste.
Do not stir the sugar while it melts, or it will crystallise — swirl the pan gently instead.
Done when: The paste is smooth, glossy and flows slowly off a spoon.
-
2
Make the Ganache
10 Mins
Gentle heat, about 80°C (175°F)
Heat the cream in a small pan until it just starts to steam, then pour it over the chopped milk chocolate in a bowl. Leave it for 2 minutes, then stir gently from the centre until smooth and glossy. Stir in the butter a piece at a time until it melts in. Leave the ganache at room temperature until it is thick enough to pipe, about 30 minutes.
Stir from the centre outward in small circles — vigorous whisking whips in air and makes the ganache grainy.
Done when: The ganache is smooth, glossy and holds a soft peak when lifted on a spoon.
-
3
Temper and Mould the Shells
20 Mins
Tempering: melt to 45°C (113°F), cool to 31°C (88°F)
Melt two-thirds of the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water until it reaches 45°C (113°F). Take it off the heat, stir in the remaining chopped chocolate and the cocoa butter, and keep stirring until the chocolate cools to 31°C (88°F) and feels cool on your lip. Spoon or pour it into the praline moulds, tap out the air bubbles, then turn the moulds upside down over the bowl and let the excess drip out, leaving a thin, even shell. Scrape the tops clean and leave for 10 minutes until the shells are set.
Use a thermometer — tempering is a temperature game, and guessing is how shells turn dull and streaky.
Done when: The shells are thin, even and glossy, and they hold their shape when the mould is tipped.
-
4
Fill the Shells
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Pipe or spoon a little praliné into half the shells and a little ganache into the other half, filling each to just below the rim. Tap the moulds gently to settle the fillings, then leave for 10 minutes so the tops firm slightly before sealing.
Do not overfill — filling that touches the rim stops the base from sealing and the pralines will leak.
Done when: Each shell is filled just below the rim, with no filling on the edges.
-
5
Seal, Chill and Unmould
60 Mins
Cool room, about 20°C (68°F)
Spoon a thin layer of the remaining tempered chocolate over the fillings to seal each praline, scrape the moulds clean, and leave them in a cool room for about 60 minutes until fully set. Turn the moulds over and tap gently — the pralines should drop out with a shine. Store in paper cases in a cool, dry place.
Never chill pralines in the fridge to hurry them — condensation dulls the shine and can make the shells bloom.
Done when: The pralines release cleanly from the moulds, glossy and firm, with a snap when bitten.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Unmould the pralines onto a cool tray and let them sit for 10 minutes. Serve two or three per person in small paper cases, with black coffee or tea — the shine on the shells and the snap when you bite them are the signs the tempering worked.
Belgium
1h
