Chocolate Praline Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter, sugar, cocoa powder and syrup in a large bowl. Add crushed biscuits and sultanas and stir well.
• Spead mixture onto a baking sheet so it is about 1.5cm thick. Allow to cool 15 mins.
• Melt chocolate and spread over top. Allow to cool 45 mins and cut into small (3cm) squares.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir white sugar, light brown sugar, evaporated milk, corn syrup, and cocoa powder in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly, until the syrup reaches 220 degrees F (104 degrees C) when measured with a candy thermometer. A small amount of syrup dropped into cold water should form a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in marshmallows, vanilla extract, butter, and pecans, beating the candy by hand until creamy and the candy begins to to set up slightly at the edges of the pan, about 10 minutes.
• Drop the warm candy by teaspoons onto the parchment paper; allow room for pralines to spread slightly. Cool the candy thoroughly before serving.

Steps:

• Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper.
• In a heavy 3 quart saucepan combine sugar,brown sugar,cocoa and light cream.
• Cook over medium heat,stirring constantly until mixture boils.
• Reduce heat to low,cook stirring occanionally to 234 degrees (soft ball stage).
• Remove from heat.
• Add butter and vanilla.
• DO NOT STIR.
• Cool at room temperature to 160 degrees.
• Add pecans,Beat with wooden spoon just until mixture begins to thicken (about 1-2 minutes) but is still glossy.
• Quickly drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
• Cool.
• Store covered.

Steps:

• Toast the pecans in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss the pecans and cornflakes in a large bowl.
• Make the caramel: Bring the butter, cane syrup, heavy cream and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and comes together into a loose ball, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Once the caramel stops bubbling, stir in the semisweet chocolate until melted.
• Pour the chocolate caramel over the cornflake mixture and toss to coat. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets and pack into compact mounds with your fingers. Let set, about 1 hour.
• Put the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Drizzle over the cookies and let set, about 1 more hour.

Steps:

• For the chocolate hazelnut center: Melt the hazelnut praline paste and dark chocolate over a double boiler. Stir in the feuilletine. Stir over an ice bath until cool. Once cooled, scoop out 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll into spheres. Reserve on a sheet pan until the marzipan is ready.
• For the marzipan: Mix the almond paste and glucose in mixer with a paddle attachment. Slowly add the powdered sugar until the consistency of stiff cookie dough. Remove from the bowl and continue mixing by hand until uniform consistency.
• To assemble: Roll out a small amount of marzipan into a flat disc. Place a sphere of chocolate hazelnut in the middle of the marzipan disc. Fold up he marzipan over the chocolate, covering the center completely.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and have a tablespoon-sized cookie scooper ready.
• Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, butter and baking soda to a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally, until the sugars are dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot and continue to cook until the mixture reaches between 235 to 240 degrees F. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Add the pecans, vanilla and salt and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy begins to dull and the mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Working quickly, drop heaping tablespoon-sized mounds with the cookie scooper onto the prepared baking sheet (see Cook's Note). Cool completely until set and the pralines have reached room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Add the chocolate chips to a heat-resistant metal or glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water and stir until completely melted. Remove bowl from the heat. Using a spoon, add a dollop of chocolate on the top of each of the praline mounds and use the back of the spoon to spread slightly and create a swirl in the chocolate. Sprinkle with the flaked sea salt, if using. Let cool completely until set (see Cook's Note). Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator with wax paper between the layers of pralines.

Steps:

• For the molds: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate. Temper the milk chocolate by melting it first and allowing it cool to about 82 degrees F. Reheat the chocolate to about 88 degrees F for use. Prepare 2 trays of chocolate hemisphere molds (32 pieces per mold) with tempered melted milk chocolate by coating the insides of the mold with a layer of the milk chocolate. Allow to set. Reserve extra tempered chocolate.
• For the praline butter: In a small saucepot over low heat, heat the fondant and invert sugar until soft. In a separate small saucepot over low heat, melt the chocolate. Combine the fondant, melted chocolate, praline, and butter in a separate bowl and mix with an immersion blender until smooth. Place in a piping bag without a tip.
• Using the pastry bag, fill the prepared chocolate hemisphere molds with the praline butter until each mold is about 3/4 full. Cover the praline butter-filled mold with more tempered milk chocolate to seal the bonbon. Scrape the top to remove excess chocolate. Let rest at room temperature until set, 2 to 3 hours.
• Carefully unmold. For the legs, place the remaining tempered milk chocolate in a piping bag and pipe 2-inch lines on strips of parchment paper, cut 3 inches by 6-inches, and curl the paper slightly to create an arc. Hold the shape by placing the paper between 2 sturdy objects, like 2 books. Let the chocolate set. Take each leg and adhere to the unmolded chocolate bonbon with a little additional tempered milk chocolate. Each chocolate mold requires 8 legs.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pecans in a large saucepan over medium heat, about 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl. Add the cereals and pretzels to the bowl and set aside.
• Wipe out the saucepan. Add 3 popcorn kernels and the vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until 1 kernel pops; add the remaining kernels, cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the popping subsides. Remove from the heat and add to the cereal mixture; toss to combine.
• Combine the butter, molasses, corn syrup, heavy cream and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and pulls away from the side of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Once the mixture stops bubbling, stir in the vanilla. Pour over the cereal-popcorn mixture, season with salt and toss with a rubber spatula to coat.
• Spread the snack mix on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the popcorn is crisp, about 15 minutes (the praline sauce will still be soft). Remove from the oven and use a flat metal spatula to flip the mix in large sections. Let cool completely. (The snack mix will harden as it cools.) Sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar and gently toss to coat. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Set oven to 375°F.
• Cream butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer, or if you would rather do it by hand, a heavy spatula will work.
• Add the baking powder and egg until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
• Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Slowly beat the flour into the mixture, a quarter cup at a time until you use all the flour.
• Add your pecans or walnuts. (I have used both together, and apart, either way they taste wonderful! In fact I have even altered this recipe and used ground almonds).
• If you think the dough is too warm you may want to put it in the freezer. When I bake in the winter I often will put all my cookie doughs in the freezer for fifteen minutes before working with them. If the dough is too warm, it will spread while baking and you will get pancakes rather then cookies :).
• Take the dough from the freezer and drop it by the teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet approx 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookie looks golden, when you lift the cookies they should have an even color on the bottom.
• Cool the cookies on a wire rack until they are cool to touch.
• While the cookies cool gather your semisweet chips and vegetable shortening in a small sandwich baggie. If you want you can use a chocolate melting double boiler. Personally I like to do things the quick and easy way, so take your baggie of chocolate and shortening and seal it closed, then put it in a bowl of warm water. Wait approximately five minutes and the chocolate should have melted. If not repeat with warmer water. Use your finger to make sure the chocolate and shortening have mixed.
• Using a scissors snip the corner of the sandwich baggie and drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies. For small drizzles make only a slight cut in the corner of the bag, for larger chocolate lines, make a larger cut. I usually make designs on the cookies with the chocolate. Simple criss cross lines look elegant and sophisticated.
• These cookies are one of my favorites, and I often bring them to parties or special occasions because of their beautiful appearance and interesting flavor.
• **To Toast Nuts**.
• Set oven to 350°F.
• Place nuts on baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake for approximately 5-8 minutes checking frequently, and stirring them about on the sheet. They should become a golden bronze color, depending on the nut. The toasting of nuts will allow for a richer flavor usually.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips over medium heat.
• Stir until blended and add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt.
• Boil 5 minutes.
• Add evaporated milk, pecans, and vanilla extract.
• Stir and boil 1 minute longer.
• Cool a little and serve warm on top of ice cream or a brownie sundae!

Steps:

• Knead marzipan with 3/4 cup powdered sugar, chopped walnuts, rum, and maraschino liqueur on a clean work surface until smooth.
• Sprinkle remaining powdered sugar on a clean work surface. Roll out marzipan and cut out circles, squares, or rectangles.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set a wire rack on top.
• Place 3/4 of the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining dark chocolate until smooth.
• Stick a toothpick or metal skewer into each praline and dip into the melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. Set onto the wire rack. Allow chocolate to set a little, then place 1 walnut half on top of the chocolate.
• Allow chocolate to harden completely. Store pralines in airtight containers.

Steps:

• Make cream puffs:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter and flour 2 baking sheets.
• Spoon pâte à chou into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe about 55 mounds onto baking sheets, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving 1 1/2 inches between mounds. With a finger dipped in water gently smooth pointed tip of each mound to round puffs. Bake puffs in upper third of oven 10 minutes, switching position of sheets in oven halfway through baking if necessary. Reduce temperature to 400°F. and bake puffs 20 minutes more, or until puffed and golden. Let puffs stand in turned-off oven 30 minutes. Transfer puffs to racks to cool. With a skewer poke a 1/4-inch hole in bottom of each puff. Puffs may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container. Recrisp puffs in 400°F. oven 5 minutes and cool before filling.
• Make filling:
• In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat pastry cream until just smooth and soft enough to fold in heavy cream (do not overbeat). In a chilled bowl with cleaned beaters beat heavy cream until it holds soft peaks and fold in praline powder. Fold whipped cream mixture into pastry cream. Chill filling, covered, about 1 hour, or until cold.
• Fill cream puffs:
• Transfer filling to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain top and barely fill each puff (do not overfill), putting filled puffs in a shallow baking pan.
• Make caramel:
• In a heavy saucepan stir together sugar and water and bring to a boil over moderately low heat, stirring and washing down sides of pan with a brush dipped in cold water to dissolve any sugar crystals until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup over moderately high heat, without stirring, until it begins to turn pale caramel. Still without stirring, gently swirl syrup in pan (so that it colors evenly) until it begins to turn golden caramel and remove from heat. Caramel will continue to color slightly off heat and will thicken as it cools. As caramel begins to reach thickness of corn syrup, return pan to a burner at lowest possible heat, using a flame-tamer if necessary, and keep warm (do not simmer).
• Assemble croquembouche:
• Line a tray with wax paper. Working quickly with 1 cream puff at a time, impale bottom of each puff on tip of a small serrated knife and carefully dip top in caramel, leaving bottom 1/3 inch uncoated (to facilitate handling) and letting excess drip off. (Be extremely careful when working with hot caramel.) Set puff, coated side up, on prepared tray. When all puffs are coated, center 3, touching to form a triangle, on a cake-decorating turntable. Form a ring of 9 puffs around triangle and, working with 1 of the 9 puffs at a time, carefully dip 1 edge into caramel, letting excess drip off, and affix puffs to one another in a tight ring around first 3 puffs. Dip bottom of a puff in caramel and center it over middle of first 3 puffs. Working with 1 puff at a time, carefully dip 1 edge of each puff into caramel, letting excess drip off, and build a second, slightly smaller ring on top of the first using 8 puffs (if necessary adding an additional puff in center to stabilize ring), making sure each puff is glued with caramel to the one before it.
• Build on top of first 2 rows 4 more rings of 5 puffs each in same manner, always building from inside out with an additional puff in center as support.
• For top of croquembouche build 1 layer of 3 puffs and top with 1 puff. Let caramel harden 5 minutes and loosen croquembouche from turntable with a spatula. Transfer croquembouche with hands to a platter.
• Slip 5-inch-wide bands of wax paper under edges of croquembouche to protect from caramel drips. Remove caramel from heat and cool to thickness of molasses, 2 to 3 minutes. Dip tip of a small spoon in caramel and drizzle caramel decoratively over croquembouche. (Alternately, all puffs may be dipped in initial caramel and put in a shallow serving bowl without being molded into a cone shape.) Let caramel harden and remove wax paper. croquembouche is best served as soon as possible but may be made up to 12 hours ahead and chilled but not covered.
• To serve croquembouche, lightly shatter caramel cage with back of a knife and dismantle, 1 puff at a time.

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, brown sugar and butter to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in the chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Stir in pecans. Serve warm over ice cream. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 10 to 12 1/2-pint glass canning jars on a rimmed baking sheet, evenly arranged with space between them. (If you have a Silpat liner, place it under the jars to prevent them from sliding around.)
• To make the cakes, in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and eggs and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined. Add half of the flour, then half of the sour cream, and mix until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream. Drizzle in the coffee and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin, like heavy cream.
• Pour the batter into the jars, filling them halfway. Bake until the tops of the cakes are firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.*
• To make the topping, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the brown sugar and 1?2 cup water and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar until combined, then return to the heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the nuts.
• Pour the praline topping over the cakes to cover, working quickly, because the praline hardens quickly as it cools. Let the cakes cool completely if they aren't already, before screwing on jar lids.**
• Do-Aheads
• *The cakes can be made ahead, cooled, covered, and kept at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• **The finished cakes will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature.

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Stirring gently, bring 2 cups pecans, both sugars, cream, and butter to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Boil, occasionally swirling pan, until thermometer registers 236°F, 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens and pecans are suspended in syrup, 2-3 minutes.
• Drop candy by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Let cool completely. Spoon some melted chocolate over; place a pecan half on top. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight in refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
• Combine the sugars, heavy cream, and butter in a large heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, until the sugars have dissolved, constantly stirring, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches the softball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer, another 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, add the pecans and chocolate chips, and stir vigorously until the pecans remain suspended in the mixture, about 2 minutes.
• Spoon onto prepared baking sheet, spreading with the back of the spoon to form a thin layer of uniform thickness. Cool completely and then crumble, as needed. (You can also make individual pralines by dropping the hot mixture by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet, letting cool, and then removing with a thin knife.).

Steps:

• Break both chocolates into chunks and place in a double boiler over simmering water. Heath until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool until lukewarm.
• Whip the cream until it is stiff and doubled in volume. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until stiff but not dry. Set aside.
• Combine praline paste, salt and creme de cacao in large mixing bowl. Stir well and add egg yolks. Whisk until smooth.
• Add melted butter, espresso and melted chocolate to the praline paste mixture and blend thoroughly. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Finally, very gently fold in the egg whites.
• Spoon mousse into individual bowls or large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 house before serving.

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into two greased 9-in. round baking pans and sprinkle with pecans., In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, eggs, milk, butter, sweetened condensed milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared pans., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form., Place one cake layer on a serving plate, praline side up. Spread with half of the whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining whipped cream over top. Garnish with chocolate curls and candies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with pecans., In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over pecans. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until set., In a large bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. Spread over praline layer. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until set., For ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until set., Loosen sides of pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate leftovers. ,