Part 1: True Dark Roasted Hazelnut Praline
Ingredients
Method- 500g Hazelnuts (blanched)
- 100g deZaan True Dark Cocoa Powder
- 450g Granulated Sugar
- 25g Water
- Using gloves, massage the deZaan true Dark cocoa powder into the Hazelnuts in a large metal bowl until they are coated thoroughly.
- Proceed to roast them in the oven at 180ºC/350ºF for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden (Note: It will be hard to tell the color change due to the cocoa but you should smell a slight caramelization coming from the oven – not a burning smell).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Next, make a caramel with the Sugar and Water. Pour it over the roasted Hazelnuts from earlier step. (Note: If you wish to replicate the one pictured, reserve a nice handful of the roasted Hazelnuts for assembling the Egg).
- Once the caramel has cooled and solidified around the Hazelnuts, break into pieces and use a food processor to process (in stages) until smooth.
- Store in an airtight container or jar until ready to use.
Part 2: Assembly
Method- Begin by preparing your chosen Easter Egg mold – polish, decorate, apply color, etc.
- Create a thin shell in each half of the Easter Egg mold with chosen tempered milk chocolate.
- Allow to set before spreading a layer of Cocoa Hazelnut Praline into the molds, covering the surface area of the first layer of milk chocolate.
- Apply whole cocoa roasted Hazelnuts by sticking them into the Praline.
- Temper additional milk chocolate and pour into each half of the mold once again, this time ensuring you completely cover the layer of Praline and whole Hazelnuts.
- Remove the excess chocolate.
- Once set, remove the two halves of the Egg from the molds and seal the Egg shut.
- This is a very simple recipe but creates an Easter egg like no other.
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