Chocolate praline pie

Chocolate is definetely a killer flavour, especially when associated with a praline paste. This week, give this chocolate praline pie a try and enjoy a chocolaty and nut flavour with a crunchy crust.

This tart might take a bit of time but it's actually very easy to make. Added bonus, I have included the praline paste recipe to make at home like a pro !

For the chocolate you'll be using, make sure you pick a brand that you enjoy since the taste will be strongly present.

I have used bitter dark chocoate since it's my favourite.

Ingredients

Crust

• 40 g almond powder - 1/3 cup

• 125 g butter - 2/3 cup

• 225 g flour - 2 3/4 cups

• 100 g sugar - 1/2 cup

• 1 egg

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tbsp heavy cream

Praline paste

• 135 g sugar - 2/3 cup

• 90 g hazelnuts - 1 1/3 cup

• 90 g almonds - 1 1/4 cup 

Chocolate ganache

• 250 g dark chocolate - 1 1/2 cups

• 280 g heavy cream - 1 1/2 cups

How To

Crust

• Cream the butter and sugar by mixing together with a whisk or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.

• Add the almond powder, the salt and the egg and mix.

• Add the flour and mix together until the dough is homogenous. Stop mixing when the flour in incorporated. The dough shouldn't be over mixed so it doesn't retract during baking.

• Let cool for 30 minutes to an hour in the freezer. Before taking the pie dough out of the freezer, preheat the oven at 170 °C.

• Line a pie ring or pan with the cooled dough. Dock the pie crust before blind baking it for 15 min.

• Whisk the egg yolk and heavy cream together. Apply a thin coat of it on the crust.

• Bake again for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

• Let cool at room temperature.

Praline paste

• Roast the nuts in the oven at 150°C / 300F.

• In the meantime melt the sugar in a pot over medium heat to make to caramel.

• Cover the nuts in caramel and spread over a silicon mat. Let coolat room temperature.

• Break into small pieces, and redue to a paste using a chopper.

• Set aside for assembly.

Chocolate ganache

• Heat the cream in the microwave.

• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.

• Add the cream three times to the chocolate while stirring.

• Place in a tall container.

Assembly

• Apply a layer of praline paste on the crust.

• Pour a generous layer of the ganache on the pie.

• Let cool for 3 - 4 hours and then decorate with some crust flowers.

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