⁣Makes 80 chocolates
⁣First, make the Praline Ganache:
1 Put the cream in a saucepan and scrape in the seeds
from the split vanilla pod (bean). Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat
and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain the infused cream into a clean
saucepan, add the invert sugar and bring to the boil.
2 Put the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Pour the
boiled cream over the chocolate and mix until emulsified and a ganache consistency
is formed.
3 Add the softened butter and mix well until fully incorporated.
Leave to set at room temperature for about 1–2 hours.
To assemble:
4 Put the Praline Ganache in a piping (pastry) bag fitted
with a 12mm (½ inch) nozzle (tip). Pipe small bulbs of the ganache onto a
silicone-lined tray (see pic ‘Step 4’).
5 Put a whole roasted hazelnut onto each bulb of
ganache (see pic ‘Step 5’).
6 Pipe a larger bulb of ganache on top of each
hazelnut (see pic ‘Step 6’) and leave to set for 1 hour in a cool, dry area.
Next, make the Nutty Chocolate:
7 Temper the milk chocolate and add the nibbed
almonds. If the chocolate thickens, warm it slightly.
To finish:
8 Roll each bulb into a sphere and coat in
feuillantine wafer.
9 Use a dipping fork to dip each prepared chocolate
sphere into the Nutty Chocolate (see pic ‘Step 9;).
10 Place each chocolate on a silicone-lined tray to
set for 1–2 hours in a cool, dry area.
11 Decorate with gold leaf to finish.
These chocolates will keep for 1
week stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry area.