Chocolate Cream with Salted Candied Pecans and Raspberry Drizzle

151007 Salted Candied Pecans with Chocolate Cream-9044

Sweet Drizzle, Salty Pecans and Creamy Chocolate – this is a wonderful dessert with many flavours! The salted pecan brings a great contrast to all the sweetness of this dish, but please serve your guests more pecans with your dessert than this photo shows. The chocolate needs to be prepared at least 12 hours before serving.

Serves 4

Chocolate Cream:
150 ml double cream
150 ml milk
3 egg yolks
150 g dark chocolate, chopped

Raspberry Drizzle:
100 ml sugar
2 tsp water
75 g fresh raspberries
50 ml water

Pecans:
100 g pecan halves, quartered (not as finely chopped as on the photo)
Coarse salt (I use a salt mill)
1-2 tbsp honey

1 Papaya

Chocolate Cream:

  1. On low to medium heat, bring a mixture of cream, milk and eggs up to simmer (do not boil!) while stirring.
  2. Take off heat, add the chocolate and stir until completely smooth.
  3. Pour into small container (so that the chocolate cream will form a layer at least 4 cm high), cover and chill over night.

Raspberry Drizzle:

  1. Melt the sugar with 2 tsp water in a saucepan over low to medium heat until it has caramelized and browned.
  2. Add berries and remaining water. Bring to a boil and let the sugar completely dissolve. Reduce a bit if you want a thicker sauce.
  3. Strain into bowl. Let cool.

Salted Candied Pecans:

Roast the pecans in a dry, hot pan. When starting to brown, add salt and drizzle the honey over. Roast a few more minutes. Cool.

Papaya Swirls:

Peel the papaya. Using the peeler, cut strands of papaya.

 

Assembly:

  1. Using two spoons, form chocolate quenelles and place on serving plates.
  2. Arrange strands of papaya.
  3. Drizzle the sauce.
  4. Add the nuts. (be generous with the nuts, the provide the salty balance against all sweetness)

 

Any comments, suggestions, ideas? Please write here!