Archive for pralines

Back to candy!

Posted in candy, confections with tags , , , on August 26, 2010 by thebrokenganache

Now that the birthday celebrations are over, and the birthday boy received his cupcakes it’s time to get back to some candy. I decided to make a Texas pecan praline from the book Candy Making for Dummies by David Jones with some slight alterations. I used a dark muscobado sugar to blend with regular sugar and fresh vanilla bean. I don’t think they came out hard enough – they seem too soft to me and I don’t know why.  The flavor is amazing with the vanilla and a slight hint of molasses from the sugar were just the right touch. Now I just need to work on the consistency. Does anyone happen to know why they would turnout a little soft? I reached all the correct temperatures during the process.

I still haven’t decided on which chocolates to make over the weekend so if anyone has any suggestions I am quite open to it!

Thats it!

Texas Pecan Pralines

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Saturday’s chocolate bonanza!

Posted in chocolates, confections with tags , , , on August 7, 2010 by thebrokenganache

I am beat! What a day. Some of my supplies finally came, thank goodness.  So I started the day off making chocolate nougat for a gourmet version of a 3 Musketeers bar. The process seemed easy enough; boiling sugar to 257F and pouring it into beating egg whites. Then adding dried milk, confectionary sugar, cocoa powder and melted  dark chocolate. The sticky part (pun intended) was when I couldn’t get the nougat out of the beater. It was so sticky it got over everything! Once off the beater I placed it on a lightly oiled pan to cool. It did have a nice chocolatey flavor but  it was a bit chewy, I wish it was more aerated and lighter. Speaking of light and fluffy I read that you can use nitric oxide canisters with tempered chocolate to achieve a really light aerated piece. Sounds cool but I think I need to get some of the basics down first.

As soon as the nougat was cooled I had to clean the kitchen because the stuff was just everywhere. Then it was on to making the Gianduja which is mix of hazelnut paste, milk chocolate confectionary sugar and butter . It tasted fine but I thought it needed a something so I added a little of the praline paste I made the other day. It added  just a hint of sweetness that it didn’t have before – Loved it.  From there it was off to vanilla bean butter cream! All it consists of is fondant which I had made earlier, softened butter and fresh vanilla bean. Yummy!  Then it was time to make mango patties, which are just like the peppermint patties I made awhile back but with mango puree. Unfortunately they didn’t come out. My proportions must have been off because they never properly set. So I have to try them again later.

Everything I made today was either molded or dipped in Valhrona 66% dark chocolate. Which may have not been the best choice for the gianduja and praline centers. Milk chocolate may have been better, the dark  chocolate seems a little overpowering.

Sorry no videos today Andy was out shooting but he took some  photos when he got back. Tomorrow I will do the gianduja molded in milk chocolate.

Till then!

Chocolate nougat bar

Gianduja molded chocolates

Gianduja molded chocolates

Vanilla butter cream molded chocolate

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Praline Perfection

Posted in confections with tags on August 4, 2010 by thebrokenganache

Well tonight I made some more hazelnut pralines. I have already explained the process before so I wont bore you with it all over again. Tonight’s objective was two fold; first to get the sugar caramelized just right without being burnt. Second to achieve the perfect texture. I believe I achieved both! This time I took the sugar off the stove when it reached a medium amber color, and I pulverized the sugar and hazelnut mixture for 25 min. It’s much smoother than the first time around  but yet it still has a wonderful texture.  I am very happy!

Not going to be making any chocolates tonight because I am still waiting on some new molds and invertase. As soon as they arrive there will be more tastings!

Ciao!

Hazelnut Praline

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Morning Update: Chocolate Hazelnut Pralines

Posted in chocolates, confections with tags , on August 2, 2010 by thebrokenganache

It was rough getting up so early , but it had to be done. I finally finished the hazelnut praline chocolates. Some of them came out with these really cool striation.  I wish I could say it was intentional, but it wasn’t. The only thing I can think of  that may have caused it  was that  there where some bits of unmelted chocolate still left in the tempered chocolate. So when I poured it and jiggled it around in  the molds ,they made their marks against the sides . I know a professional wouldn’t think they are perfect, but I love the design they made. And they taste great.

Off to work will post photos when I get home.

Chocolate hazelnut praline

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Chocolate Hazelnut Pralines… A work in progress…

Posted in confections with tags on August 1, 2010 by thebrokenganache

Busy day today. I needed to reorganize the house to accommodate all the chocolate supplies and packaging and that seemed to take up most of the day. I’m glad thats over! Afterwords I began making chocolate hazelnut pralines. A rich dark chocolate shell with a gooey hazelnut praline and milk chocolate center. There were a lot of steps in this recipe. I suppose I could have done the toasted hazelnuts and  caramelized dark amber sugar for the pralines yesterday. It would have cut the time in half. The recipe called for the sugar to be a boiled to really dark amber color, which I did, but maybe I did it a little too dark. It had a slightly burnt taste. But once I mixed it with milk chocolate I didn’t notice it as much. I also think my tempering was slightly off since I see little streaks on the inside of the tops of the molds.

Well I have to wait for the ganache to dry over night. So that means I will be up at 4am to finish these. So until the am.

Hazelnuts in caramelized sugar before it goes in the food processor to be come pralines

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Handmade Fondant and Southern Pecan Pralines

Posted in candy, confections, how to videos with tags , , , on July 31, 2010 by thebrokenganache

I had to run to J.Crew today to pick up a few things, and bring them some chocolates. They are all so nice over there, especially Doris. She knows exactly what I like and has everything waiting for me when I get there. When I got home I had to help a friend with her website for a new business. Once that was done it  was time to make some fondant. This time I did it by hand on a marble slab. I have really enjoyed working with my hands instead using a machine, lately. Like with temping chocolate. I have a tempering machine but I prefer doing it by hand. It just feels right for some reason, sort of  artisan crafty.  Mixing the fondant by  hand I really noticed the subtle changes  from a clear syrup to a thick creamy mass.  It’s something I didn’t pay much attention to when using the mixer, beacause all of a sudden it was done..

So now when my invertase arrives I can make cherry cordials. Invertase is a yeast-derived enzyme that breaks down the fondant once its dipped in chocolate. Thats what gives it a gooey center . I know I mentioned I was going to make nougat,  but  it felt like pecan pralines night. Even though I have never made them before the recipe looked good, quick and easy.  So that’s what I did.  They where pretty good, a little salty for me. Andy didn’t think so. Need a few taste testers to get their opinion.

Dose anyone know if you use kosher salt instead of table salt  do you need to change the portions in the recipe?

The videos of making the fondant and pecans are up!

Southern Pecan Pralines

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