A quick and easy very delicious praline recipe by Kit Smyth. Often used in patisserie recipes, it’s also great for making praline shards for decadent desserts or cake decorations. Use carefully, as it is strongly flavoured, and will add a generously nutty flavour to any dessert.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30mins
Yield: 25 x 1 Tablespoon portions
Ingredients:
300g/10.5oz raw hazelnuts
37.5ml/2.5 tablespoons water
200g/7oz raw/golden caster sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 160˚C/325˚F.
Line a baking tray/sheet with parchment and place the nuts on the tray and pop in the oven for around 10 minutes, mixing them up halfway through.
When the time is up, and the hazelnuts are fragrant, place them into a clean tea towel, and rub vigorously to remove as much of the skin as possible. The more peeling you can do, the smoother the paste will be at the end.
In a non-stick saucepan, add the water and sugar and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Keep the liquidised sugar on the heat, increasing it slightly until the sugar begins to boil. Keep cooking the sugar until it turns a deep golden colour, approx. 9-10 minutes.
Prepare a sheet of parchment paper on the same tray as before, and lightly oil the paper.
Once golden, turn off the heat to the sugar, and add the peeled nuts, stirring to coat the nuts in the golden and syrupy sugar. Pour onto the oiled parchment paper, and leave to cool and set over several hours, or place into the fridge to speed up the process to about 10 minutes.
When set, you can break it up into chunks. To make a praline paste, place into a food processor. Blitz on low at first to break up the chunks further and scrape down the sides if necessary. Then switch to high to form a powder, a paste will form as the time goes on. The paste should form after about 2 minutes.
Pour the praline paste into a mason jar, or similar, or use right away as required. This praline paste will keep for up to 1 month in a pantry.
Kit Smyth is a retired chef with a passion for French cuisine. Originally from Australia, Kit is dedicated to exploring both old and new ingredients, techniques and styles, and developing recipes for home cooks, she also teaches these recipes online and in-person. Find out more at her website: TheBiteLine
