True dark hazelnut praline Easter egg

Ingredients

500g blanched hazelnuts                               

100g deZaan True Dark cocoa powder                  

450g granulated sugar                                          

25g water     

Method

Using gloves, ‘massage’ the cocoa powder into the hazelnuts in a large metal bowl until they are ‘coated’ thoroughly.

Proceed to ‘roast’ them in the oven at 180ºC/350ºF for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden. (It will be hard to tell the colour change due to the cocoa but you should smell a slight caramelisation coming from the oven – not a burning smell).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Next, make a caramel with the sugar and water.

Pour it over the roasted hazelnuts from earlier.

*Note – if you wish to replicate the one pictured, reserve a nice handful of the roasted hazelnuts for assembling the egg.

Once the caramel has cooled and solidified around the hazelnuts, break into pieces and use a food processor to process (in stages) until smooth.

Store in an airtight container or jar until ready to use. 

Assembly

Begin by preparing your chosen Easter egg mold – polish, decorate, apply colour etc…

Create a thin shell in each half of the Easter egg mold with chosen tempered milk chocolate.

Allow to set before spreading a layer of cocoa hazelnut praline into the molds, covering the surface area of the first layer of milk chocolate.

Apply whole cocoa roasted hazelnuts by ‘sticking’ them into the praline. 

Temper additional milk chocolate and pour into each half of the mold once again, this time ensuring your completely cover the layer of praline and whole hazelnuts.

Remove the excess chocolate.

Once set, remove the two halves of the egg from the molds and seal the egg shut.

This is a very simple recipe but creates an Easter egg like no other.