Recipe: Macadamia Pralines

the appetizer:

The Art of the Chocolatier: From Classic Confections to Sensational Showpieces by Ewald Notter, includes recipes like Caramelized Gianduja; Gianduja Base; Macadamia Pralines; and Chocolate Piping.

Macadamia Pralines


*Macadamia Pralines*
Ingredients	Metric	US	Volume
Colored cocoa butter and/or couverture, for decoration	as needed	as needed	as needed
Milk couverture, 37%, tempered, for casting and capping	200 g	7.1 oz	3/4 cup
Heavy cream	300 g	10.6 oz	1-1/3 cups
Salt	3 g	0.1 oz	1/3 tsp
Glucose	35 g	1.2 oz	1-1/2 tbsp
Vanilla bean	3 g	0.1 oz	1/3 ea
Invert sugar	35 g	1.2 oz	1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Macadamia paste	160 g	5.6 oz	1 cup
Milk couverture, 37%, chopped or coins	300 g	10.6 oz	2 cups
Cocoa butter, melted	45 g	1.5 oz	3 tbsp
Yield 96 molded pralines	1081 g	38.0 oz

1. Prepare 4 molds with twenty-four 0.4 oz/11 g cavities or 3 molds with thirty-two 0.4 oz/11 g cavities with colored cocoa butter or couverture as desired.

2. Cast the molds with the milk couverture.

3. Combine the cream, salt, and glucose in a medium pot. Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds, add the pod and seeds to the cream, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

4. Combine the invert sugar, macadamia paste, and chopped milk couverture. Strain the hot cream mixture into the couverture mixture, and set aside undisturbed for 1 minute.

5. Using a spatula, stir in small circles starting in the center of the bowl, then gradually in wider circles, to create an emulsion.

6. Cool to 94 degrees F/34.5 degrees C. Add the melted cocoa butter and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to 88 degrees F/31.1 degrees C.

7. When the mixture reaches 88 degrees F/31.1 degrees C, place in a pastry bag with a small hole cut in the tip and pipe into the prepared molds. Let set overnight at room temperature.

8. Once the ganache has completely set, cap with milk couverture. Place in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 minutes to set.

9. Tap the molds on the table to release the chocolates.

10. Store in an airtight container at 57 degrees to 61 degrees F/13.9 degrees to 16.1 degrees C in a dark, dry place.

Recommended Mold Decor

1. Using an airbrush, lightly spray the molds with yellow cocoa butter.

2. Spray a touch of red cocoa butter into one side of each cavity.

from:
The Art of the Chocolatier:
From Classic Confections to Sensational Showpieces
by Ewald Notter
Photography by Joe Brooks and Lucy Schaeffer
Wiley 2011
Hardcover; 416 pages; US $65.00
ISBN: 0470398841
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-39884-5
Reprinted by permission.

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