Attempt to make praline paste failed -- what should I do differently?
I attempted this recipe:
70 g hazelnuts
100 sugar
1 pinch salt
Toast nuts at 400 F for 10 mins.; let cool.
Put sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and render into caramel over medium-low heat.
Combine ingredients in a food processor and process 3-5 mins., scraping down the bowl as necessary, until it all becomes a smooth, even paste.
Yield: 1 C.
All seemed well until I got to the food processor, at which point the following happened:
- Some of the caramel turned to obsidian on the bottom of the food processor bowl.
- The paste never became "smooth and even," but remained gritty and unappealing.
- The yield was maybe 1/2 C.
What should I do differently next time? I thought maybe I should have let the caramel cool a bit, but the recipe said it should still be hot. Otherwise, I don't know what there is to change; it's about as simple as recipes get.
Best Answer
Upon reading those instructions, I can picture vividly the scenario you describe. It seems like the caramelized sugar would of course solidify and cleave to the bottom of the (relatively cold) food processor as you pour it in. Or is the friction of the food processor supposed to keep the caramel melted at its original temperature as it whirls around while the nuts pulverize? That even sounds kind of unsafe somehow.
Curious, I looked up other recipes for praline paste on the internet - and there are lots. These are the first 4 I came across:
http://joepastry.com/2011/making-praline-paste/
http://www.thedomesticfront.com/pralinepaste/
https://beammeupbiscotti.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/useful-tips-how-to-make-praline-paste/
http://www.chefrachida.com/homemade-hazelnut-praline-paste/
All of these specify letting the caramel and nut mixture harden and cool on a non-stick surface first, and then you break it up into pieces and put into the food processor. The first reference shows pictures of the progression of the product from chunks to powder to paste as the food processor works.
Even though it is contrary to the recipe, perhaps it would work better if you cooled the mixture before processing. I wonder if some sentence or phrase about the pre-processor cooling step got accidentally left out of your recipe.
Pictures about "Attempt to make praline paste failed -- what should I do differently?"
What can I use instead of praline paste?
Most people would probably substitute Nutella or skip the praline paste altogether, but I have a deep love of the stuff. I'd spoon it straight into my mouth if my adult brain didn't override my 1970s child instincts. Hazelnut praline paste has a rich, smooth texture and a buttery, toasted nutty, burnt sugar flavor.How do you make praline paste for chocolate?
Break clusters of caramelized hazelnuts, bring into the food processor or high-speed blender, and process at high speed until it turns into a past. You may have to stop the food processor every 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat until the paste forms. It takes about 2 minutes in total.What is praline paste made of?
It consists of nuts, usually almonds and/or hazelnuts coated with caramelized sugar. It results in sweet and crunchy nuts. Pralines is the name of the whole caramelized nuts, but also the name of the paste, prepared from ground nuts.Can you freeze praline paste?
Can you freeze praline paste? Yes, absolutely. You can freeze hazelnut praline paste for up to 6 months.Paris-Brest Gâteau Recipe – Bruno Albouze
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