Name: Belgian Pralines
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Belgium
Ingredients: 400 g dark or milk chocolate, for the shells, finely chopped; 100 ml heavy cream, for the ganache; 20 g butter; 150 g hazelnut praline paste, or a second batch of ganache; sea salt, pinch, optional

Belgian pralines are built in two deliberate layers: a thin, tempered chocolate shell and a soft filling, ganache, praline paste or caramel, sealed inside before the whole thing is unmolded.

Getting the chocolate properly tempered is the real skill here; everything else about pralines is mostly patience and a steady hand with a piping bag.

Part of our 20 best Belgian recipes list.

method

Temper the chocolate for the shells: melt two-thirds of the chopped chocolate gently over a double boiler until it reaches about 45°C (113°F), then remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until melted and the mixture cools to about 28°C (82°F). Gently rewarm to 31°C (88°F) for dark chocolate, checking it holds a glossy snap on a test spoon.

Using a small brush or spoon, coat the inside of chocolate praline molds with a thin, even layer of tempered chocolate, tapping out any excess. Chill briefly until set.

For the ganache filling, heat the cream until just simmering, then pour over finely chopped chocolate and let sit for a minute before stirring until smooth and glossy. Stir in the butter.

Let the ganache cool until thick but still pipeable, then fill half the molds with ganache and the other half with the hazelnut praline paste, leaving a little room at the top for sealing.

Let the fillings firm up slightly, about 20 minutes at room temperature or 10 in the fridge.

Spread a final thin layer of tempered chocolate over the top of each mold to seal the pralines, scraping off any excess.

Chill until fully set, about 30 minutes, then unmold carefully and store in a cool, dry place.

chef's tips

Properly tempered chocolate is what gives pralines their glossy shine and clean snap; untempered chocolate sets dull and soft, and never really recovers.
Working in a cool room, ideally under 20°C (68°F), makes tempering and unmolding noticeably easier and more reliable.