Hazelnut Dragées
In this “Master Class,” Calgary chocolatier Kevin Conniff of Sweet Bella Chocolates shows us how to make his delicious Hazelnut Dragées with vanilla and dark rum.
Ingredients
- 5 oz granulated sugar
- 1 oz water
- 14 oz whole blanched hazelnuts
- 14 oz semi-sweet couverture chocolate
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp dark rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 F.
- Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Place the hazelnuts on a sheet tray in the oven with the door open to warm them.
- Increase the heat and boil the sugar and water mixture until the water boils away, leaving the remaining mixture at 265 F - 270 F on a candy thermometer.
- Add the warm hazelnuts to the hot sugar syrup and remove from the heat.
- Stir the nuts and sugar with a wooden spoon until the nuts are evenly coated in the syrup and the sugar becomes crystalized.
- Return to the burner at medium heat and continue to slowly mix. Continue mixing the nuts until the sugar is a light to medium golden colour and the nuts are toasted. This happens quickly. It’s all too easy to burn the sugar, so don’t leave the stove.
- Tip the nuts onto a sheet pan, separating them with the spoon, and allow to cool.
- When the hazelnuts are at room temperature, place them in a large bowl.
- Temper the chocolate according to the instructions on the packaging.
- Add a little tempered chocolate to the nuts and begin to gently “dredge” or coat the hazelnuts with a spatula.
- Let the first coating of chocolate completely set.
- Thoroughly combine salt, vanilla and rum in a small bowl.
- Continue to coat the hazelnuts with chocolate 2 or 3 more times and then, at the end, mix in the salt/vanilla/rum mixture.
Notes
Makes about 800 g (or just under 2 cups).