Honey Almond Crunch Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

Sliced almonds 200g

Honey 80g

Unsalted butter 150g

Milk chocolate 200g

Granulated sugar 120g

Water 100ml

Plain chocolate 100g

Dark rum 100ml

Method

01 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Toast two cups of almonds on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden brown for about 12 to 14 minutes.

02Remove the almonds from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature.

03Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly as it melts so that it does not simmer or boil. As soon as the butter is completely melted, add the sugar, water, rum and honey.

04 Increase the heat to medium high. Heat the mixture at a temperature of 220°F, stirring constantly.

05 Add the untoasted almonds and continue to heat and stir until the mixture reaches a temperature of 225°F.

06 Evenly divide the honey-almond mixture between the two baking sheets. Place the baking sheets on the top and middle shelves of the preheated oven and bake until the mixture is evenly caramelised, for about 24 to 26 minutes.

07 Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down for 5 minutes.

08 Combine the milk and plain chocolate pieces and evenly divide and sprinkle over the surface of the caramelised honey-almond mixture.

09 Allow it to stand for five minutes. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate throughout the mixture.

10 Evenly divide and sprinkle the toasted almonds over the chocolate. Place both baking sheets in the freezer for 20 minutes.

11 Remove the Chocolate Honey Almond Crunch from the freezer and break into irregular pieces.

12 Store in a sealed plastic container in the freezer or refrigerator.

Ebony and Ivory Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

For truffle mixture

White chocolate 170g

Plain cooking chocolate 200g

Heavy dairy cream 200ml

For the topping

Cocoa powder 5tbsp

Desiccated coconut (toasted)

Pistachio (roasted)

Hazelnuts (roasted)

Method

01 Place the white and dark chocolates in separate stainless steel bowls.

02 Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat.

03 Bring it to boil. Pour ¼ of the boiling cream over the white chocolate and the remaining over the dark chocolate. Allow four to five minutes of standing time.

04 Stir each bowl with a separate whisk until smooth, and allow cooling for an hour at room temperature.

05 Refrigerate the two ganaches for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.

06 Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Portion 36 heaping teaspoons of dark chocolate into separate mounds onto the greaseproof paper.

07 Top each teaspoon of dark chocolate with a level teaspoon of white chocolate.

08 To fashion the truffles, roll each portion of chocolate in your palms in a gentle circular motion, using just enough pressure to form smooth rounds. Roll the rounds of chocolate in cocoa until completely covered.

09 These can be rolled in crushed pistachio, hazelnuts, nougat and desiccated coconut or simply piped with chocolate.

Pictures by Pabitra Das