Ferrero rocher style chocolate domes

Ingredients

Hazelnut praline:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 4.5 oz whole hazelnuts

Crunchy praline:

• 1.5 oz crisp lace crepes (Gavottes or feuilletine)
• 0.7 oz milk chocolate
• 3 oz hazelnut praline

Praline mousse:

• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 gelatin sheet
• 4 oz hazelnut praline

Hazelnut center:

• 1 oz chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
• 1 oz hazelnuts

Chocolate domes:

• 3 oz milk chocolate
• 3 oz hazelnuts

Materials

• Silicone half-sphere molds (6 cm in diameter)
• Electric chopper
• Electric whisk
• Cookie cutter (the same diameter as the half-spheres)
• Pastry syringe or parchment piping cone
• Cloth
• Brush

Preparation

• Hazelnut praline :
  Put the water and sugar in a pan over medium heat. When the mixture starts to bubble, add the hazelnuts.
• Stir constantly; the sugar will first crystallize around the hazelnuts, then caramelize. When all the sugar has turned into caramel, pour it onto a tray lined with parchment paper and let it cool.
  
• Once cooled, break the caramelized hazelnuts into pieces and place them in a chopper. Chop in 30-second intervals to avoid overheating the motor, for about 5 minutes, or until you obtain a paste. Your hazelnut praline is ready!
• Crunchy praline:
  In a bowl, finely crush the crisp lace crepes, then add the melted chocolate and hazelnut praline. Mix well.
  
• Immediately afterward, make 6 small piles of this mixture on parchment paper or a silicone mat, and spread them into circles the same diameter as the half-spheres (use a cookie cutter for precision). Once the circles are ready, refrigerate them until needed.
• Chocolate domes:
  Melt the milk chocolate and use a brush to apply a layer inside each half-sphere mold. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then repeat. Refrigerate until needed.
  
• Hazelnut center:
  Using a chopper or knife, roughly chop the 1 oz of hazelnuts, then mix them with the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Set aside.
• Praline mousse:
  Soak the gelatin sheet in a glass of very cold water. Take 2 tablespoons of cream from the 2/5 cup and heat it. Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form.
  
• Add the hazelnut praline and gently mix using a whisk. Melt the gelatin sheet in the hot cream, and add it to the mixture. Place this mousse in a piping bag or set aside for immediate use.
• Assembly:
  Take the chocolate half-spheres and fill them lightly with praline mousse. Then add a teaspoon of the prepared hazelnut center to each half-sphere.
  
• Cover with praline mousse, leaving a 5 mm gap below the edge. Place a disk of crunchy praline on each half-sphere, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, peel your hazelnuts for decoration: place them on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F (180°C). After this time, place them in a cloth and rub well. Most of the hazelnuts should be peeled.
  
• Roughly chop them with a knife or chopper, reserving 3 to cut in half. Then gently unmold the chocolate half-spheres.
• Melt a little milk chocolate and use it to attach hazelnuts all around the base of the domes. Then attach half a hazelnut to the top of each.
  
• And there you have it—your Ferrero Rocher-style domes are ready!

Observations

Gluten-free option: The gluten comes from the crunchy praline with the lacy crepes. You can replace them with sweet corn flakes without any issues ;-)

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe