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Belgian Pralines

From Neuhaus, one of Belgium’s finest
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Ingredients
  

For the Tempered Dark Chocolate

  • 3 cups ice in a large bowl
  • 3 cups chopped high-quality dark chocolate

For the Praline Filling

  • 2 cups chopped milk chocolate
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup
  • 1 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions
 

Tempered Dark Chocolate

  • Put the ice in the bowl and set aside.  Reserve a handful of the chopped chocolate , and melt the rest gently in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water until it reaches 115 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
  • Remove the bowl from the heat.  Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a dry cloth to prevent water from splashing onto the work surface.  Sprinkle the reserved chocolate into the melted chocolate by placing over the bowl of ice for a few seconds at a time, removing it, stirring until smooth, and repeating until the temperature drops to 82 degrees F. 
  • Heat the chocolate again by placing the chocolate bowl back over the simmering water for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time.  Once its temperature rises to 90 degrees F, the chocolate is ready to use.  Careful not to go over 92 degrees, because then you have to start all over. Pour it into the chocolate mold, making sure each cavity is filled.  
  • Invert the mold and allow the chocolate to drip back into the bowl.  Invert the mold again, and allow the thin coating of chocolate to harden.  Try to keep the remaining chocolate at 90 degrees.  
  • Prepare the filling, and fill each cavity up not quite to the rim. Then top with the remaining tempered chocolate and allow to set.

Praline Filling

  • Place the pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.  Melt the milk chocolate slowly in a medium stainless steel bowl set over simmering water (OK to carefully microwave chocolate in 1 minute increments to melt.)  
  •  In a small saucepan or skillet, melt the sugars and corn syrup together, then let them cook (without stirring) until the mixture begins to caramelize, turning light brown at the edges.  It will move quickly, so watch for a light honey color, then remove it from the heat.  
  • Allow it to cool for a few minutes, then pour it over the pecans and allow it to harden.  Then add all the ingredients into a food processor (an electric mixer here works almost as well) and puree until smooth with crunchy bits of nut and sugar.  Adjust thickness as desired.

Notes

From the NYT in August 2017.