Hazelnut milk chocolate pralines
Making chocolate pralines is one of the best ways to use up your leftover ganache. I had some hazelnut praline and dark chocolate ganache left from making my hazelnut symphony entremet, I also had some hazelnut paste left from the same dessert so I combined the ganache and the paste for an extra tasty filling.
The outer shell of the pralines is made with tempered milk chocolate, I chose milk chocolate because it enhances the hazelnut flavor.
First I tempered the chocolate then I piped the ganache in the molds half way and topped it with more hazelnut paste. I piped some more ganache over the paste and then I closed the pralines with a layer of tempered chocolate.
If you have leftover ganache in the fridge and it has gone really stiff you can always put it in the pan to heat it up and make it liquid again. I did the same with my ganache, it was solid and unable to pipe into the molds. I just placed it in the pan and gently melted it, added the hazelnut paste and mixed. I poured the ganache in a piping bag and placed it the fridge to slightly firm up.
The pralines are simple to make once you are familiar with chocolate tempering and the taste is so good it's definitely worth the effort.
For the filling:
Chop the dark chocolate in small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl.
Bring the cream to the boil, pour it over the chocolate and wait 2 minutes.
Stir the ganache and add a pinch of salt. Add the hazelnut paste (save a little of the paste for assembly) and mix. Pour in a piping bag and place in a fridge to set.
Making the shells:
Chop 225 grams of milk chocolate in medium sized pieces, put in the heat-proof bowl and set aside. Chop the remaining 75 grams of the chocolate in tiny pieces and set aside. Put some water in a pot and heat gently to a simmer. Place the bowl with 225 grams chocolate on top of the pot, the water should not touch the bowl. When the chocolate starts to melt, stir and check the temperature. Keep checking the temperature until it reaches 40-45°C (104-113°F). When the chocolate reaches the right temperature take the bowl of the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate. The temperature should drop. Stir the chocolate gently to cool until it reaches 27°C (81°F). This may take a while, depending on the room temperature. When the chocolate is cool enough place the bowl back on the pot of simmering water and heat back to 29-30°C (84-86°F).
Now the chocolate is at the ideal working temperature, and you must work quickly. Fill the mold with chocolate, tap the mold a few times so that the air bubbles pop. Make sure the mold is fully covered in chocolate then flip the mold over the bowl of remaining chocolate so that the excess of chocolate drips off back into the bowl. The whole process is a bit messy but try to save as much of the chocolate in the bowl for later. Smooth off the chocolate from the mold with the palette knife. Flip the mold upside down on the cooling tray to ensure an even coating then put the mold in the fridge to set, it should set fairly quickly. Keep the remaining chocolate at the working temperature by gently heating it up, you can use a hair drier to gently heat the chocolate directly in the bowl. Be careful that it does not exceed 30°C (86°F), because then you will have to start the process all over again.
Pipe the ganache half way into the mold, add a sprinkle of hazelnut paste and pipe over the ganache, be careful not to overfill the mold. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Take out the mold and pour the remaining tempered chocolate and smooth out with the palette knife. Tap the mold a few times on the bench to make sure that there is no air inside. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes. Take out of the fridge and let the chocolates set in the mold for a couple of hours or overnight at room temperature for maximum shine. If you are in a hurry you cold unmold the chocolates after 20 minutes.
The pralines look great in a small gold box and make for an excellent gift.
The outer shell of the pralines is made with tempered milk chocolate, I chose milk chocolate because it enhances the hazelnut flavor.
First I tempered the chocolate then I piped the ganache in the molds half way and topped it with more hazelnut paste. I piped some more ganache over the paste and then I closed the pralines with a layer of tempered chocolate.
If you have leftover ganache in the fridge and it has gone really stiff you can always put it in the pan to heat it up and make it liquid again. I did the same with my ganache, it was solid and unable to pipe into the molds. I just placed it in the pan and gently melted it, added the hazelnut paste and mixed. I poured the ganache in a piping bag and placed it the fridge to slightly firm up.
The pralines are simple to make once you are familiar with chocolate tempering and the taste is so good it's definitely worth the effort.
Hazelnut milk chocolate pralines
(Makes about 30)
Time:
Preparation: 30min
Cooking: 30min
Cooling: 20min
For the filling:
- 150g dark chocolate
- 150g heavy cream
- 100g white granulated sugar
- 100g hazelnuts
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 300g milk chocolate
Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast at 180°C (356°F) until brown, 5-10 minutes. Place the hot hazelnuts on a dish towel and rub until the skins are removed.
Prepare a baking sheet with a parchment paper or silpat.
Heat the sugar in a small sauce pan until it gets dark amber then add the roasted hazelnuts. Stir the hazelnuts until completely covered in caramel. Pour the extremely hot hazelnuts and caramel on the prepared baking dish and set aside to cool completely.
Break the hazelnut praline in small chunks and place in a food processor.
Break the hazelnut praline in small chunks and place in a food processor.
Process the praline until it starts to get wet, the oils from the hazelnuts will start to leak and the praline will became a paste. Add a tablespoon of oil and keep blitzing until you have a paste.
Chop the dark chocolate in small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl.
Bring the cream to the boil, pour it over the chocolate and wait 2 minutes.
Stir the ganache and add a pinch of salt. Add the hazelnut paste (save a little of the paste for assembly) and mix. Pour in a piping bag and place in a fridge to set.
Chop 225 grams of milk chocolate in medium sized pieces, put in the heat-proof bowl and set aside. Chop the remaining 75 grams of the chocolate in tiny pieces and set aside. Put some water in a pot and heat gently to a simmer. Place the bowl with 225 grams chocolate on top of the pot, the water should not touch the bowl. When the chocolate starts to melt, stir and check the temperature. Keep checking the temperature until it reaches 40-45°C (104-113°F). When the chocolate reaches the right temperature take the bowl of the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate. The temperature should drop. Stir the chocolate gently to cool until it reaches 27°C (81°F). This may take a while, depending on the room temperature. When the chocolate is cool enough place the bowl back on the pot of simmering water and heat back to 29-30°C (84-86°F).
Now the chocolate is at the ideal working temperature, and you must work quickly. Fill the mold with chocolate, tap the mold a few times so that the air bubbles pop. Make sure the mold is fully covered in chocolate then flip the mold over the bowl of remaining chocolate so that the excess of chocolate drips off back into the bowl. The whole process is a bit messy but try to save as much of the chocolate in the bowl for later. Smooth off the chocolate from the mold with the palette knife. Flip the mold upside down on the cooling tray to ensure an even coating then put the mold in the fridge to set, it should set fairly quickly. Keep the remaining chocolate at the working temperature by gently heating it up, you can use a hair drier to gently heat the chocolate directly in the bowl. Be careful that it does not exceed 30°C (86°F), because then you will have to start the process all over again.
Pipe the ganache half way into the mold, add a sprinkle of hazelnut paste and pipe over the ganache, be careful not to overfill the mold. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Take out the mold and pour the remaining tempered chocolate and smooth out with the palette knife. Tap the mold a few times on the bench to make sure that there is no air inside. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes. Take out of the fridge and let the chocolates set in the mold for a couple of hours or overnight at room temperature for maximum shine. If you are in a hurry you cold unmold the chocolates after 20 minutes.
I really like the gold look on these chocolates, and to achieve that, just brush some gold powder over the chocolates. The fat of the chocolate makes the powder stick and it gives the pralines an amazing shine.
The pralines look great in a small gold box and make for an excellent gift.
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