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.

Homemade mesquite smoked almond praline

ingredients preparation
  • 90g
    water
  • 216g
    sucrose
  • 29g
    powdered glucose
  • 14g
    sorbitol

Caramelise.

  • 324g
    mesquite smoked almonds

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

  • 11g
    skimmed milk powder

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

Milk chocolate smoked almond praline base

ingredients preparation
  • 74g
    845
  • 80g
    CB

Melt together at 40°C.

  • 516g
    homemade smoked almond praline
  • 20g
    M-7PAIL

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 preparation
  • 272g
    36% cream
  • 4g
    dried and ground ancho chile

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

  • 43g
    glucose syrup DE 60
  • 29g
    sorbitol powder
  • 31g
    invert sugar

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

  • 21g
    clarified butter
  • 221g
    70-30-38NV
  • 94g
    845
  • 40g
    CB

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.