Yield: 6-8
Ingredients:
1/4 pound good quality milk chocolate
1/4 pound good quality dark chocolate
1/4 cup raw, slivered almonds
1 teaspoon sugar
Method:
Use two double boilers or 4 saucepans to separately melt the two chocolates.
Fill the bottom part of the double boiler or one saucepan with water, being careful that the bottom of the top or second saucepan doesn't touch the water.
Break up the chocolate and place the milk chocolate into one saucepan and the dark chocolate into the other. Stir occasionally with a silicone spatula as the chocolate melts.
After the chocolate has melted, lower the temperature for 5 minutes, stir, then raise the flame again so the water simmers as it did before. This will temper the chocolate so it achieves a good finish.
Be careful not to over heat the chocolate to avoid granulation and bitterness.
Keep the water in the bottom pan gentling boiling so the chocolate stays in a liquid state. Add water as needed.
While the chocolate is melting, place the almonds in a frying pan on medium heat. Toss and sprinkle with sugar. Keep the pan moving as the sugar liquefies. Coat the almond slivers, remove with a silicone spatula and let cool on a Silpat sheet or parchment paper.
Pour a small amount of one chocolate into each section of the mold. Drop in 3-4 almond slivers and layer in the second chocolate. Place the mold on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer for 10 minutes until the chocolate sets.
For storage, remove the individual chocolates from the mold, place in an airtight container with waxed bakery tissue between the layers to prevent sticking and store in the refrigerator.
The chocolates can be served either cold, straight from the refrigerator so they are crisp, or allowed to come to room temperature so they are soft. Serve on a decorative plate or platter.
Variations:
Instead of almonds, use chopped dry roasted peanuts, pecans or hazelnuts.
Instead of nuts, use finely chopped crystallized ginger.
Instead of nuts, use finely chopped candied orange peel.
- Recipe courtesy of David Latt