ART OF CHOCOLATE MAKING - Recipes by Chef Olivier Vincenot @FOODHALL

    Dark chocolate 54%                           245 gr or 3/4 cup

    Nescafe powder                                     9 gr or 1 tea spoon

         Butter unsalted                                   30 gr or 1 table spoon

Cocoa powder OR icing sugar to roll the truffles in.

Method:

Keep the butter at room temperature as well as being cut into small pieces.

Place the chocolate into a bowl.

In a sauce pan, place both the liquid cream and glucose and bring to the boil over medium heat; then pour over the chocolate.

Stir until the chocolate has fully melted and then add the butter, stir again until the butter has fully melted. The Ganache should have a shiny finish. Place in the fridge to set.

Using the finger roll in your hand a quantity of ganache to make a ball, usually marble size, and then roll the balls into either cocoa powder or icing sugar.

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Fruits & Nuts Mandian:

Dark compound chocolate           250 gr

Roasted whole almond                   50 gr

Roasted whole hazelnut                 50 gr

Green roasted whole pistachio     50 gr

Cashew roasted                                50 gr

Dry apricot                                          50 gr

Orange peel                                        50 gr

Lemon peel                                         50 gr

Melt a quantity of dark compound chocolate over a bain-marie until warm, 36C degrees.

Have dry fruits and roasted nuts ready, such as apricots, cherries, orange peel, lemon peel, almond, pistachio, pecan, cashew, etc. (Dry fruits should also be cut into small dice pieces)

Have a tray ready with a grease proof paper on top.

Using a table spoon, pour a quantity of chocolate over the paper to form a round disk of about 5mm thick.

Before the chocolate set, stick either dry fruits, nuts or a combination of both, and leave to set. (Not in the fridge, but a cool place)

The same can also be done using white or milk chocolates compound.

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Chocolate mousse:

Caster sugar                       100 gr or 1/2 cup

Water                                     30 gr or Table spoon

Whole eggs                          90 gr or 3 No’s

Egg yolks                              60 gr or 2 No’s

Dark chocolate 70%         240 gr or 1 cup + 1 table spoon (Couverture chocolate)

Whipped cream 35%      320 gr or 1 cup + 1/4 cup (Elle&Vire)

Method:

Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie and keep warm aside. (36C to 40C degrees)

In a mixing bowl, whisk both whole eggs and yolks till slightly fluffy; while doing that also have the caster sugar and water come to 118C into a sauce pan over medium heat and pour over the whisked eggs; carry on whisking until the mix has cooled down. (Sabayon)

Whisk the whipping cream to a soft pick, and pour a fifth into the warm melted chocolate which at this stage should be removed from the bain-marie, mix together nicely.

Then fold in the sabayon into the chocolate until nicely mixed, do not beat, and fold in the whipped cream.

Pour the mousse into glasses, cup, and bowls and set in the fridge.

Can be decorated with fresh strawberries or any other fruits, or just cocoa powder, icing sugar, or even small heart made of icing.

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Chocolate almonds:

Whole almonds                  185 gr or 1/2 cup + 2 tea spoon  

Caster sugar                         75 gr or 1/4 cup

Water                                     30 gr or 1 table spoon

Butter unsalted                    8 gr or 1 tea spoon

Dark chocolate 54%         185 gr or 1/2 cup + 2 tea spoon (Couverture chocolate)

Cocoa powder                    as required

Method:

First roast the almonds in an oven and let them to cool down.

In a sauce pan place both caster sugar and water and bring to boiling point until it reaches 110C to 115C over medium heat.

Remove from the heat and add the roasted almonds, stir them into the sugar syrup using a hard spatula until crystallization starts to happen.

At that point, return the pan over a medium heat and stir until caramelization starts to happen. (Watch out not to get them too dark)

Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, stir until melted and pour onto a nonstick tray; while they are still hot, separate all the almonds and let to cool down.

Melt the chocolate, drop the almonds into the chocolate, and remove them one by one to then roll them into the cocoa powder. Shake the excess and place the almonds onto a tray to set, not in the fridge but a cool place still.