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GIANDUJA ROSETTES

Roast the whole hazel nuts. Let them cool. Melt the Gianduja in the Chocolatier électronique. When it is melted press the button for the Temper 2 programme. When the machine beeps press Stop and transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a fluted tip. Pipe out rosettes with the Gianduja mixture. Top with a hazel nut or a bigarreau cherry. Dip the cooled rosettes in tempered milk couverture.

PISTACHIO - GIANDUJA DELICES

Melt the Gianduja in the Chocolatier électronique. Remove the bowl and stir in the 200g of chopped pistachios and the candied fruit cut in small cubes. Let cool. Mix. Spread out the mixture about 7mm thick using a rolling pin. Cut to the desired shape. Temper the dark chocolate. Dip the pieces. Top with each with a half-pistachio (taken from 50g remaining).

HAZELNUT PAVES

Melt the Gianduja in the Chocolatier électronique add the hazel nuts. Spread out 8mm thick. Cut out the Pavés with a square cutter or a knife. Temper the milk chocolate. Dip the Pavés using a fork then set them on greaseproof paper. Draw 3 diagonal lines on the top of each Pavés.

PINENUT AND CANDIED FRUIT NOUGATINE

Dissolve the sugar very gently in a clean thick-bottomed pan. Add the glucose. Let boil gently. Add the toasted pine nuts and the candied fruits cut in cubes. Scrape out the mixture onto a marble slab. Spread out carefully with several passes of a rolling pin. Keep any surplus in a warm oven in a pie mould for later use. Cut out small shapes. Let cool. Dip in tempered milk chocolate. Decorate with some pine nuts.

ALSACIAN KIRSCH AMANDINES

Mix all the ingredients except the Gianduja. Spread out the paste with the rolling pin approximately 1cm thick. Cut out rounds with a suitable cutter. Place on greaseproof paper and to let them dry 2 to 3 hours. Melt the Gianduja and using a piping-bag fitted with a fluted nozzle decorate each Amandine with a rosette of Gianduja . Dip in tempered chocolate.

DAUPHINOIS

Mix the almond paste, the sugar and butter. Add the rum, nuts and the chopped nougat. Form rolls 0,5 cm in diameter. Cut into 3 cm length sections. Let dry for 24 hours. Dip in the dark tempered chocolate then roll them in chocolate vermicelli.

PALETS D'OR

Make a ganache by melting the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the coffee and the cognac. Let cool until firm but spreadable. Spread out between 2 plastic sheets. As soon as it is quite firm, cut it up using a round cutter. Dip each disc in dark chocolate. Place a thick sheet of acetate sheet on the top. The following day, remove the plastic sheet and decorate with a flake of gold leaf (available from specialist trade suppliers).

PISTACHETTES

Preparation : 2 hours.
Drying time : 3 to 4 hours.
Cooking time : 5 minutes.
Quantity for approx. 100 pieces.
500 g - Almond paste,
150 g - Fondant,
  50 g - Butter,
120 g - Pistachios,
  50 g - Pistachio cream,
  50 g - Kirsch,
150 g - Dark chocolate couverture,
For dipping and decoration
300 g - Dark chocolate couverture
  50    - Pistachios.
Mix the almond paste with the warm fondant, butter, 80 G of chopped pistachios, the cream and kirsch. Spread out 1 cm thick. Cut out with a small oval cutter. Place on paper. Let dry 3 to 4 hours. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Decorate with reserved pistachios.

PRALINE

Melt the sugar with a little lemon juice, over low heat, in a clean thick-bottomed pan. As soon as the caramel starts to colour, add the warm toasted almonds and hazel nuts. Mix using a wooden spoon. Let cool on an oiled baking sheet. Break into small pieces and pulverise in a food processor. Store.

PRALINETTES

Temper the chocolate in the Chocolatier électronique. Mix in the praline and almonds. Let cool. Spread out 8mm thick on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Using a suitable cutter, cut out the Pralinettes. Let cool. Dip in tempered milk chocolate and decorate.

'PISTACHIO' BUCHETTES

Melt the chocolate and mix in the praline. Stir well. Let cool entirely. Using a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle, pipe out rolls 10 cm in length on greaseproof paper. Roll out the almond paste and cut into 10cm wide strips. Roll up each praline almond paste. Temper the milk chocolate. Either dip or brush each roll with couverture. Let cool. Cut into neat lengths.

CHATAIGNES

Temper the chocolate and mix in the praline. Let cool. Cut into about twenty pieces. Form into balls. Dip in tempered chocolate. Roll out the almond paste. Wrap each ball in paste. Cut out a small rectangle in the almond paste (so that one can see the " heart " of each sweet chestnut). With a brush, cover each ball with tempered chocolate. Dab with the tip of the brush to leave a rough surface. (you can also dip the 'Chataignes' and roll them on a grid, which will form the points).

MICHKA

Toast the choppped hazel nuts. Mix with the icing sugar. Pulverise in a food procesor. Melt the chocolate add the hazelnut mixture, the inverted sugar, the praline. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter. Let cool slightly. Spread out the mixture 1 cm thick. Cut out using a round cutter. Place a toasted hazel nut on each chocolate round. Dip in tempered milk chocolate (you can put the hazel nut on after dipping in chocolate if you like).

NOISETINES

Melt the chocolate. Mix in the praline and let it cool a little. Spread it out on a sheet of greaseproof paper about 5 mm thick. Cut out the pralines using a round cutter. Temper the remaining chocolate and dip the pralines. Place a whole toasted hazelnut on the top of each.

SULTANS

Melt the chocolate with the honey. Add the praline and the chopped orange rind. Cool and roll out approximately 1 cm thick. Cut out the pralines using a cutter in the shape of half-moon. Temper the remaining chocolate. Dip each piece and decorate with a dipping fork.

WALNUT CARAMELS

Melt the sugar and glucose in a thick-bottomed pan over low heat. As soon as the mixture turns brick colour remove from the heat and slowly mix in the butter and milk, and then the warmed chopped walnuts. Spread out the mixure on an oiled baking sheet. Quickly cut into squares of 2 x 2 cm. Allow to cool. Temper the dark chocolate and dip the cool caramels. Decorate with the dipping fork (you can also put a half walnut on each).

VANILLA & PISTACHIO NOUGATS

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Melt the honey and the inverted sugar over low heat pour on to the beaten egg whites and continue to beat. Add the sugar and glucose heated to the "soft crack" stage ie.144°C. Bring the whole mixture to 121°C then dry out the mixture by stiring for 20 minutes with the spatula over a bain-marie of hot water. Add almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts. Spread out the mixture 1 cm thick sandwiches between 2 sheets of matsos or other unleavened bread cracker. Set aside for approximately 48 hours. Cut into small rectangles. Dip completely or partially in tempered dark chocolate.

ANDALOUSE

Beat the butter until smooth and light. Temper the chocolate. Gradually add the butter, mixing delicately. Fill a piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle with the mixture and pipe out the rosettes. Decorate with either a toasted hazel nut, a fresh grape macerated in Cointreau, a candied cherry or a sugar violet.

BRIONNAIS

Heat the cream and butter. Beat the egg yolks and sugar add the warm cream. Add the orange juice. Cook the custard over very low heat a few minutes. Let the custard cool to room temperature and mix with the tempered milk chocolate. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet about 1 cm thick. Let harden for 12 hours. The following day, cut out Brionnais with a round fluted cuttter. Dip in tempered milk chocolate. Decorate with a red sugar 'pearl' with a little piped coloured chocolate.

CARMELITO

Gently melt the sugar in a thick-bottomed pan. As soon as it reaches a copper colour, add the cream. Stir vigorously. Let the mixture cool to 30°C. Add the tempered chocolate, almonds and chopped candied orange. Mix well. Spread the mixture 1 cm thick. Cut into rectangles. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Top each Carmelito with a little square of orange rind and decorate with a little piped chocolate.

MARRONS GLACES CHOCOLATS

Beat the chestnut purée with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the rum, glucose, inverted sugar and melted cocoa butter. Mix well. Spread the mixture 1 cm thick on a baking sheet. Let it harden for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Cut out with a suitable cutter(rounds, squares...), or mould into chestnut shapes. Dip in tempered milk chocolate. Let set. Dip the base in tempered dark chocolate.

GRENOBLOIS

Make a custard with the cream, egg yolks and inverted sugar, beat the custard a few moments away from the heat to cool it. Add the melted chocolate and then the kirsch. Let the mixture cool slightly and then whisk vigorously. Roll out the almond paste into a 22cm square and cut out 50 disks using a plain 3 cm cutter. Pipe the chocolate mixture onto the disks of almond paste. When firm dip each disk in tempered milk chocolate. Decorate with a half walnut.

WALNUT DELICES

Temper the chocolate. Beat the butter to soften it. Add the fondant. Whip the mixture until light . Add to the tempered chocolate and then add the Armagnac. Using a piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle, pipe out small rosettes on to greaseproof paper and top with a half walnut. Store in a cool place. The following day, dip the Delices in tempered milk chocolate.

RUSSES

Temper the dark chocolate and spread it on an acetate sheet. Before it hardens cut out 100 small disks. Set aside.
Cream the butter with the icing sugar. Add kirsch and to continue to whip. Incorporate the melted milk chocolate. Let the mixture cool slightly. Using a piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle, pipe out a rosette of mixture onto each disk of dark chocolate. Dip the Russes in tempered milk chocolate.

NESCATINES

Melt the chocolate, cream and coffee. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter. Using a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle pipe out 12cm strips onto a plastic sheet. Cut the strips into 4 cm lengths and dip them in tempered dark chocolater. Decorate with a little piped chocolate and a chocolate 'coffee bean'.

CITRON-ORANGE CHOCOLATS

In a thick-bottomed pan over low heat caramelise the sugar. Add the honey. Mix in the melted chocolate then the candied peel and the toasted hazelnuts. Let the mixture rest a 3 or 4 hours. Stir the mixture a few moments. Roll out cylinders 1,5 cm in diameter and 4 cm length and dip them in tempered dark chocolate. Decorate with a little piped chocolate.

CALVADOS APPLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the butter and the Calvados. Let the mixture cool before shaping into little apples of 40 to 50 grams each. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Roll out the almond paste very thinly and wrap each apple completely. Paint the apples with a little food colour. Decorate with a stem and a leaf made from almond paste.

PEAR TRUFFLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the candied fruit and the Poire William. Let the mixture cool before shaping into little pears of 40 to 50 grams each. Dip in tempered milk chocolate. Decorate with a stem and a leaf made from almond paste.

CHESTNUT PRIVAS

In a food processor mix the 'marrons glaces' to a puree. Add in the rum, the melted cocoa butter and lastly the glucose. Tip onto a baking sheet and spread until 1 cm thick. Cut into squares. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Decorate with a sugar violet.

TRUFFETTES

Infuse the tea in a little hot cream for 5 minutes. Strain. Melt the chocolate with all the cream. Press Temper to cool. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter. Let the mixture cool, spread out between two acetate sheets. Remove one sheet and spread the surface with dark tempered chocolate. Let harden. Turn over and remove the other sheet. Cut out the 'Truffettes' using a round cutter. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Decorate each 'Truffette' with a grain of sugar 'mimosa'.

ALMOND & ORANGE ROCHERS

Toast the almonds in the oven at 200°C (Gas Mark 6-7). Mix the finely chopped 'orangeat' in the sugar. Temper the dark chocolate. Mix in the grilled almonds and the orangeat. Make small mounds with a coffee spoon on greaseproof paper. Let cool.

PINENUT ROCHERS

Toast the pinenuts in the oven at 200°C (Gas Mark 6-7). Temper the white chocolate and mix in the cool toasted pinenuts and the candied fruits. Make small mounds with a coffee spoon on greaseproof paper. Let cool.

CARAMEL ROCHERS

Melt the sugar in a thick-bottomed pan over a low heat. Warm the honey and the inverted sugar. Mix the three ingredients together, add the butter. Mix in little by little the warm grilled almonds. Make sure each piece of almond is coated with caramel. Form small mounds on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Let cool. Dip the cooled 'Rochers' in tempered dark chocolate.

RUM GANACHE TRUFFLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the rum and the creamed butter. Let the mixture cool. Cut into pieces and roll the truffles. Dip in tempered dark chocolate, make sure the chocolate is not too thick. Then roll each one in the cocoa powder. Remove any excess cocoa powder by gently rolling the truffles about in a large flat sieve.

RASPBERRY GANACHE TRUFFLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the raspberries and alcohol. Blend gently. Let the mixture cool. Form the truffles in the usual way. Dip in tempered milk chocolate, and immediately roll them in caster sugar.

VANILLA TRUFFLES

Scrape the contents of the vanilla pod into a little hot cream. Allow to infuse. Melt the chocolate with all the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps stop the machine and let the mixture cool until stiff enough to form the truffles in the usual way. Dip in tempered dark chocolate and roll them in chocolate shavings.

COGNAC AND CANDIED FRUIT TRUFFLES

Macerate the candied fruit in the cognac for 24 hours.
Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the macerated candied fruit and the cognac. Let the mixture cool. Form the truffles in the usual way. Dip in tempered dark chocolate. Roll in the 'Paillettes' chocolate shavings.

GRAND MARNIER TRUFFLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the chopped candied orangeat, the Grand Marnier and the softened butter. Let the mixture cool and form the truffles in the usual way. Dip the truffles in tempered milk chocolate and then roll them on a cake rack to give them a rough surface. Place on greaseproof paper to set.

KIRSCH TRUFFLES

Melt the chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the Kirsch. Let the mixture cool. Form into truffles in the usual way. Dip in tempered white chocoalte immediately roll on a cake rack then place them on greaseproof paper.
N.B.: Make this recipe in small amounts because the mixture sets up very quickly.

JASMIN TEA TRUFFLES

Infuse the tea in a little hot cream then strain. Melt the chocolate with all the cream and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter and the Whisky. Let the mixture cool. Form the truffles in the usual way. Dip them entirely in tempered white chocolate. Let them cool then half dip each one in tempered dark chocolate.

TRUFFLES MIREILLE

Infuse the contents of the vanilla pod in a little hot cream for 5 minutes and then strain the mixture. Melt the Gianduja with all the cream, the cocoa butter and the inverted sugar. Press Temper to cool the mixture. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter. Divide the mixture into small balls. Form each into a crescents to match the nougatines. Stick a truffle to each nougatine using a dab of melted chocolate. Let cool. Dip the Mireille truffles in tempered dark chocolate.

PIEDMONT TRUFFLES

Melt the milk chocolate with the cream and the inverted sugar in the Chocolatier électronique, press Temper to cool it. When the machine beeps add the creamed butter. Let the mixture cool in a refrigerator for 2 hours. Form 80 truffles inserting a whole toasted hazelnut in each one. Dip in tempered milk chocolate and immediately roll them milk chocolate shavings.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT DESSERT

Melt the chocolate with the cream or custard in the Chocolatier électronique, press Temper to cool it. When the machine beeps spoon into individual moulds or spread 1/2" thick on a small sheet pan. Let the mixture cool. Refrigerate for 2 days or freeze. To serve bring to room temperature and unmould or form portions with a cutter. Serve with orange salad, garnish with a chocolate plaque or a tuile.

CHOCOLATE TART

Melt the chocolate with the cream or custard in the Chocolatier électronique, press Temper to cool it. When the machine beeps pour into the pie shell and spread evenly. Leave to set in a cool place, preferably not the refrigerator.

Many thanks to the Pomiane Food blog for assistance with these recipes.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Couverture:
Good quality chocolate with a cocoa butter content in excess of 30%. The total 'cocoa content' percentage refers to the percentage of cocoa butter plus cocoa solids. The total 'fat content' percentage may include fats other than cocoa butter.

Cocoa butter
The oil of the cocoa bean. If tempered this oil will set as a crisp, hard solid at room temperature thereby giving the chocolate its many desirable characteristics. Cocoa butter can sometimes be added to chocolate to improve its characteristics when tempered. See Tips section.

Ganache
A mixture of chocolate and a liquid, usually cream. The proportion of one to the other varies considerably from one recipe to another. If the amount of cocoa butter in a ganache is too high it may separate out and set as hard lumps within the ganache. If the problem occurs, use less chocolate or a chocolate with a lower cocoa butter content
Ganache is made either by slowly heating the chocolate and cream together while stirring, or by pouring boiling cream onto finely chopped chocolate and stirring vigourously.
If the cream you are using is neither fresh, pasteurised nor UHT (or if the packet has been opened) boiling the cream will kill any bacteria that have started to grow and, thereby increase the shelf-life of the finished product.
Additional ingredients should in general be added after the ganache has formed and while it is still warm.
Sugar in crystal form should either be melted or added while the mixture is hot so that the crystals dissolve completely.
Solid ingredients should be either at room temperature or, better, warm so that they blend in easily. Cold ingredients will cause the mixture to 'set-up' before the blending is complete.
Butter should be 'creamed' so that in can be blended in easily. If it is added while the ganache is too hot, the butter will melt and become oily.
Alcohol is also best added after the mixture has cooled somewhat. If the alcohol is added while the mixture is hot, it will evaporate and the intensity of flavour will be reduced.
Flavourings, such as vanilla bean, tea, spices etc, can be infused in a small amount of the hot liquid from the recipe. Usually the mixture must be strained afterwards. Prepare these infusions in advance.
Cold ganache may be whipped prior to use. This will bulk up the mixture making the texture lighter and the flavour less intense.

Glucose:
A thick transparent syrup. It reduces the tendency of normal sugar (sucrose) to crystalise and improves the texture of the ganache. Glucose is about half as sweet as sugar.
Glucose is a monosaccharide. This simple sugar can be derived from any source of starch - corn (maize), wheat, rice, potatoes, etc. However, if not refined down completely to the simple sugars, some of the taste of the origin ingredient will remain. The most common form of this sugar is dextroglucose, a naturally occurring form commonly referred to as dextrose (also called corn sugar and grape sugar ). Honey is also a source of dextrose.
Glucose is widely used to make commercial confectionery and icings, as well as in baked goods, soft drinks and other processed foods. Corn syrup is a form of glucose made from cornstarch.

Inverted sugar:
A sugar solution which improves the texture of the mixture to which it is added. Its use in the recipes is not essential, and one can easily replace it with ordinary sugar. Inverted sugar is as sweet as normal sugar but will not crystalise as easily.
Inverted sugar is simply sucrose (table sugar) that has been subjected to hydrolysis, a process which breaks down the disaccharide sucrose into its constituent sugars. The fructose is inverted (made into its optical isomer). The inversion process involves adding acid and is usually done at high temperatures to speed up the process. Alternately, the invertase enzyme can be used.

Lecithin
A natural derivative, usually of soya, used to improve the emmulsion of the various ingredients in chocolate. Lecithin is a available GMO free. The genetic modification of the soya materially reduces the need to use pesticides on the crop.

Storage
Products that contain ingredients with a short shelf life, cream for example, need to be stored appropriately and consumed quickly.
Many items can be frozen provided:
a. They are sealed in air-tight full containers.
b. The containers remain completely sealed until all the contents are at room temperature.
c. Inverted sugar or glucose is used in ganaches and creams which otherwise would start to crystallise.

Sugar substitute
Items with a soft center have a natural tendency to dry out. The presence of an adequate amount of sugar, glucose, invert sugar, fructose or dextrose in the mix slows this process down considerably because all these products are 'hydroscopic' - that is they attract moisture and absorb it. Most sugar substitutes are not nearly as hydroscopic as sucrose, therefore expect the shelf life of the product using sugar substitute to be much shorter than that of the product made with sugar. Aspartame dissolves easily at low temperature which allows it to be added to warm ganache. It can not be used to make caramel.