33.  This is not a Spring!

Best on Theme

(François and Logan)

PRIZE: Box of Joseph Schmidt truffles with hummingbird/flower design

•  Nougatine:
•  Sugar
•  Almonds (neither roasted nor salty)
•  Cover: -- Dark chocolate (I used bitter sweet dark chocolate from Trader Joes) --
•  Cocoa

Preparation of the nougatine: Chop the almonds to very fine pieces (but not powder. I use a large knife for this. Make a large amount a caramel by putting a large glass of sugar in a thick pan with medium heat. Mix the sugar regularly with a wood spoon as soon as you see some caramel forming. Lower the heat then. Be careful, caramel is extremely hot!!! (several hundred degrees). Do not touch or try to test the caramel. You would burn yourself badly!

Prepare a large and clean wood cutting board with a very thin layer of oil (I used olive oil). Prepare also a pastry roll (wood). Like the board, do not use plastic! When all the sugar is melted, stop the heat and pour in the chopped almonds (I use of combination of half caramel, half almond).

Creating the spring: Put the mixture quickly (called now nougatine) with the help of the wood spoon onto the wooden board. Make a thick line of the nougatine on the board using the spoon (you can use also a spatula to help. Do not use you fingers!). Then roll quickly the nougatine in a long ribbon before it is cold. The thinner, the better. Before the nougatine starts to become hard, cut the sides, so the ribbon has a consistent width (keep the nougatine pieces you've cut for later). Then form quickly a spring by rolling the ribbon. At this point you can use your hands with a glove or towel. The nougatine should be cooled enough. Be careful, so that the faces of the spring do not touch each other, because they will stick. Put the spring on its side on the board.

Preparing the cover: Melt the dark chocolate in a double broiler (I just cut the chocolate in pieces and heat the double broiler pan slowly). When the chocolate is ready, I dip the spring (and the nougatines pieces I have cut) into the melted chocolate. You can also initially cut the nougatine into small round disks and dip them in the chocolate as an alternative to a spring. Put the spring or the disks on a plate in the freezer for 1/2 an hour.

Final preparation: Remove the nougatine pieces from the freezer and sprinkle them lightly with cocoa.

Logan's first chocolate party! -F