Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Hazelnut Marzipan Chocolates

This is a slightly modified recipe from 'Chocolates and Confections' by Peter Greweling.  As far as chocolate confections go, this is middle-of-the-road:  slightly challenging, and somewhat time consuming.  The resulting chocolates are tasty, but not in-your-face.  The flavors unravel as you chew, and thereafter. 

Marzipan:
215 g Blanched Almonds
215 g Blanched Hazelnuts
340 g Sugar
110 g Glucose Syrup
120 g Water

1)  Plunge the almonds into boiling water.  Return to a boil.  Cover, remove from heat, and allow to soak for 5 minutes.  Drain the nuts.
2)  Coarsely grind the nuts in a food processor.
3)  Combine the sugar, glucose syrup, and water.  Cook to 115C.  [Stir constantly until it boils, but then do not stir at all.]
4)  Pour the hot syrup over the chopped nuts in a stainless-steel bowl.  Mix together lightly.
5)  Pour the syrup-coated nuts onto an oiled marble slab.  Allow to cool to room temperature.
6)  Grind half of the batch at a time in a food processor until it reaches the desired fine consistency.  (This may take 10 minutes or more.)  If the marzipan separates during the grinding process, add a small quantity of liquid such as spirit or boiled syrup, to restore the emulsion. [I added almond extract and a pinch of salt during the grinding process.]
7)  Combine the ground batches of marzipan.  Allow to cool to room temperature, roll, and use as desired.  (Marzipan may be made up days in advance if desired.) [At this point, I placed the marzipan into a parchment-lined 8" x 8" x 2" pan and flattened it out with my knuckles.]

Chocolates:

300 g Dark Chocolate, melted and tempered
80 to 100 Hazelnuts, toasted
800 g Milk Chocolate, melted and tempered

8)  Coat the marzipan with the 300 g of tempered dark chocolate.
9)  Before the chocolate layer sets, quickly place the toasted hazelnuts on top, in a grid.
10)  When the chocolate is partially set, cut the slab into squares.
11)  Coat the squares in the tempered milk chocolate.