Mesquite

I combined smoked almonds and ancho Chile with dark chocolate to mimic the heat of the roasting process. The ancho Chile adds a subtle heat to the ganache, turning your mouth into a miniature cocoa bean roaster.
Level:
Medium
Makes:
144 chocolates

Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

Ingredients: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

  • 3.2 oz
    water
  • 7.6 oz
    sucrose
  • 1.0 oz
    powdered glucose
  • 0.5 oz
    sorbitol

Preparation: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

Caramelise.

Ingredients: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

  • 11.4 oz
    mesquite smoked almonds

Preparation: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

Add to caramel. Pour onto Silpat baking sheet and leave to cool.

Ingredients: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

  • 0.4 oz
    skimmed milk powder

Preparation: Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

Add to caramel-nut mixture in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

Ingredients: Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

Preparation: Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

Melt together at 40°C.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

  • 1.1 lb
    homemade smoked almond praline
  • 0.7 oz
    M-7PAIL

Preparation: Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

Mix into previous mixture.

Leave on marble to crystallise to 23°C and cast into 5-mm-thick frame.
Allow to crystallise at 16°C for 1 hour.

Ancho Chile ganache

Ingredients: Ancho Chile ganache

  • 9.6 oz
    36% cream
  • 0.1 oz
    dried and ground ancho chile

Preparation: Ancho Chile ganache

Mix and boil. Infuse for 2 minutes. Strain and rescale heavy cream.
Add whole milk if needed to return to original weight.

Ingredients: Ancho Chile ganache

  • 1.5 oz
    glucose syrup DE 60
  • 1.0 oz
    sorbitol powder
  • 1.1 oz
    invert sugar

Preparation: Ancho Chile ganache

Dissolve in previous mixture. Leave to cool to 35°C.

Preparation: Ancho Chile ganache

Melt together at 40°C. Pour previous mixture over melted chocolate mixture and emulsify with food processor or immersion blender. Leave to cool to 32-34°C.

Finishing and serving

Pour ancho chile ganache in 5-mm-thick frame on top of smoked almond praline base. Allow to crystallise at 16°C for 12 hours. Cut to 25 x 30 mm and enrobe with dark chocolate Callebaut® 811. Decorate with ground ancho chile powder.