Fondant Sabayon Praline Recipes

SABAYON

Steps:

• Pour a few inches of water into a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low to keep water at a simmer. Combine egg yolks, water, Marsala, and sugar in a large heat-proof bowl and set above the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk, until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Continue cooking and whisking until sabayon is the texture of mousse and holds its shape, 15 to 20 minutes. Lift bowl occasionally to let steam escape and keep eggs from overcooking. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC SABAYON AND ZABAGLIONE

Steps:

• In a zabaglione pan (or a metal bowl or round-bottomed double boiler), whisk together the yolks and sugar until lighter in color; then stir in the wine.
• Se the pan or bowl over a smaller pan of simmering water, and whisk until the mixture swells and thickens into a stable foam; it is ready when the wires of the whisk start leaving light traces between strokes. The water in the lower pan should be actively simmering but not boiling violently, and should not touch the bottom of the upper pan. There's no need to beat hard; just use a gentle back-and-forth wrist motion, getting all over the pan so the mixture doesn't overcook on the bottom and sides. Don't cook past the "light traces" stage, or the sabayon may lose volume and become dense instead of airy.
• Off heat, whisk in the Grand Marnier (or rum, kirsch, or whatever). Serve immediately.
• For an Italian zabaglione, reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup, and use 1/2 cup of dry Marsala.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE SPIDER BONBONS

Steps:

• For the molds: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate. Temper the milk chocolate by melting it first and allowing it cool to about 82 degrees F. Reheat the chocolate to about 88 degrees F for use. Prepare 2 trays of chocolate hemisphere molds (32 pieces per mold) with tempered melted milk chocolate by coating the insides of the mold with a layer of the milk chocolate. Allow to set. Reserve extra tempered chocolate.
• For the praline butter: In a small saucepot over low heat, heat the fondant and invert sugar until soft. In a separate small saucepot over low heat, melt the chocolate. Combine the fondant, melted chocolate, praline, and butter in a separate bowl and mix with an immersion blender until smooth. Place in a piping bag without a tip.
• Using the pastry bag, fill the prepared chocolate hemisphere molds with the praline butter until each mold is about 3/4 full. Cover the praline butter-filled mold with more tempered milk chocolate to seal the bonbon. Scrape the top to remove excess chocolate. Let rest at room temperature until set, 2 to 3 hours.
• Carefully unmold. For the legs, place the remaining tempered milk chocolate in a piping bag and pipe 2-inch lines on strips of parchment paper, cut 3 inches by 6-inches, and curl the paper slightly to create an arc. Hold the shape by placing the paper between 2 sturdy objects, like 2 books. Let the chocolate set. Take each leg and adhere to the unmolded chocolate bonbon with a little additional tempered milk chocolate. Each chocolate mold requires 8 legs.

CHAMPAGNE SABAYON

Steps:

• Combine the egg yolks, Champagne, and sugar in the top of a double boiler and whisk over simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water in the bottom pot). Whisk constantly until thick and foamy. Remove to an ice bath and continue whisking until cool. Set aside.
• Whip chilled heavy cream to soft peak stage and fold gently into custard. To achieve the most volume, plan to fold in whipped cream just before serving. Serve in chilled glasses layered with fresh fruit and/or sponge cake. Garnish with mint.

ALICE'S FONDANT FILLING FOR CHOCOLATES

Steps:

• Combine ingredients in heavy saucepan. Boil until it reaches a soft ball stage. Pour into buttered dish to cool.
• After mixture is cooled, pour on clean surface and beat with wooden paddles until light and airy. Just as mixture "turns" mix in flavoring until thoroughly blended inches.
• Refrigerate to cool completely. Form into balls. Dip in desired chocolate.
• Variations:.
• Peppermint (peppermint extract to taste).
• Maple Walnut (maple flavoring to taste and finely chopped walnuts).
• Orange (orange extract to taste--a few drops to 1/2 teaspoon).
• Cherry (Maraschino cherries drained and quartered--pat dry).
• Cherry-almond (as above but add almond extract to taste).
• Almond (almond extract with a sliced almond on top of finished chocolate).
• Coconut (fine coconut plus vanilla).
• Rum (rum extract plus 1-2 teaspoons butter).

PRALINES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In large saucepan over medium heat, combine pecans, sugar, butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.