Sliced chocolates with pistachio marzipan

Name: Sliced chocolates with pistachio marzipan
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 120
Cuisine: Switzerland
Ingredients: 180 g whole cream; 380 g couverture chocolate (dark); 380 g pistachio marzipan; 300 g couverture chocolate (dark), tempered

Exquisite pistachio pralines

Sliced pralines are a must in any confectionery shop. They form part of every confectioner’s basic training, and you’ll find them in virtually every patisserie. Whilst the choice of ingredients can, of course, vary greatly, a ganache firm enough to slice is always a key component of these delicious pralines. You can also make these pralines with several layers; the important thing is simply to have a good praline cutter at home. For our recipe, we’ve opted for fine pistachio marzipan and dark couverture chocolate. The result? A melt-in-the-mouth dream of chocolate, almonds and pistachio.

Key figures

Quantity:120 pieces

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooling time:2–3 hours

Shelflife: 1 month

Ingredients

Double cream		180 g
Couverture \| dark		380 g
Pistachio marzipan		380 g
a little icing sugar
Dark couverture, tempered		300 g

Lindt Couverture Dark 0.5 kg

Ready-to-ship quantity: more than 20 pieces

CHF17.50

Mixing bowl stainless steel 2000 ml

Ready-to-ship quantity: 10

CHF31.90

Whisk 25 cm

Ready-to-ship quantity: more than 20 pieces

CHF8.90

Making ganache

Weigh out the couverture and place it in a large bowl. Bring the double cream to the boil and then pour it over the couverture. Make sure the couverture is well covered with the hot cream, and leave the bowl to stand for 1–2 minutes.

After this short resting period, it will be much easier to stir everything together with a whisk. Stir until all the couverture pieces have dissolved and you have a lovely, smooth ganache.

Cover the ganache right at the surface and leave it to cool at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or in the fridge for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Pistachio marzipan 250 g

Ready-to-ship quantity: more than 20 pieces

CHF19.50

Frame set for cut chocolates

Ready-to-ship quantity: 1

CHF295.00

Layers of the praline

Roll out the pistachio marzipan to a thickness of 0.5 cm using rolling pins. To prevent the pistachio marzipan from sticking, dust it lightly with icing sugar or baking starch.

Prepare a 0.5 cm high mould for cut pralines using baking paper, cut the pistachio marzipan into a square and place it in the mould.

Now add two more layers. One layer 0.5 cm high and another 0.3 cm high. (Total height of the layer: 1.3 cm)

Mix the set ganache thoroughly with a whisk and, as soon as it becomes slightly firmer, spread it over the pistachio marzipan. Spread it evenly over the marzipan using an angled spatula.

Cover with baking paper, roll over it with a rolling pin and press down firmly to minimise any air pockets. Chill for 20–30 minutes.

Once the ganache has set nicely, use a spatula to loosen it from the frame and turn it over so that the marzipan is on top.

Coat the pistachio marzipan with a thin layer of tempered dark couverture. As soon as the couverture layer has set, carefully turn the ganache slab over again.

Now place the finished ganache slab onto the cutting harp using a baking tray. The classic pistachio pralines are 3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. There is a suitable harp attachment for both sizes.

The sliced pistachio pralines are now separated, coated in dark tempered couverture and decorated with a pistachio.

Now it’s time to hitch a lift

Dip the praline upside down into your tempering machine and press it completely into the chocolate. For this step, use the tempering fork to press the praline into the couverture, centred on the edge of the long side. This ensures it is completely coated and rotates 180 degrees. Using this technique, the tempering fork will then be positioned underneath the base of the praline.

Now lift the praline out of the couverture several times in small movements. This allows the excess chocolate to drip off. Then move the praline to the edge of the tempering machine and scrape the base against it once more.

Next, try to push the praline a little further forward on the fork by gently scraping it against the edge, alternating between the left and right sides. This makes it a little easier to place the praline down afterwards.

Now carefully place the praline onto a fresh sheet of baking paper. You can now try to create a pattern. To do this, gently run the prongs of the fork over the surface of the praline and pull them upwards very lightly 3–4 times.

You’ll see that the couverture chocolate comes away with the fork. On the final upward stroke, carefully pull the fork backwards – this will leave three small grooves. Now place a shelled pistachio on top, and your praline is ready!