Café et Praliné Macarons

Coffee is one of my favorites... I used to drink a venti mocha every morning, but I did cut down quite a bit since last few years, however its always good to have a bit caffeine in my veins to keep me going! I think making this Café et Praliné macaron is like making a miniature coffee bite on-the-go... but only coffee may not satisfy me...hmm how about praliné?  Maybe another fun and amazing creation is born...strong and luxurious coffee ganache pair with crunchy praliné...I love praliné's nutty caramelized flavor, which can drive people crazy (maybe not everyone though), okay let me get to my kitchen now!

First thing first, I have to bake my little army of macaron shells. As usual I infuse my shells with flavors and these little cuties I incorporate them with a tiny bit ground espresso powder.  They look great and are all well rested, cool and ready to match up the other halves.

Next step is praliné, making praliné is not that tricky (recipe follows). I think patience and attention is key of making successful praliné. I have my silpat handy and roll it (while my praliné still warm and pliable) out to about 2 mm thickness and cut it into small squares to fit into my macarons. They look great and smell so good. I can't resist and taste tested a few for quality control!

Finally, assemble time is ready! I pipe a dollop of intense coffee ganache and push a piece of praliné, then another small dollop of ganache, another shell and my café et praliné macaron is done!! Another time to put up my feet and relax with coffee...a double double coffee! 

My recipe for praliné, you need

• 90 g sugar
• 10 g glucose
• 80 g toasted hazelnuts
• 20 g toasted almonds
• pinch of fleur de sel
• 25 g water

method...

• ground your hazelnuts, almonds and fleur de sel together in food processor finely, but not floury and set aside.  Prepare a flat surface ready for your praliné, I use two silpats
• combine sugar, glucose and water in a heavy bottom saucepan and bring it under medium heat until it reaches 320-325 F and with a light amber colour to caramelize (deeper colour you will have more caramelization but watch out it may burn in seconds!)
• turn off heat and mix your nut mixture into caramel with a wooden spoon or silcone spatula until well combine....nearly there!
• turn your praliné on one silpat and cover it with another, let it cool down a bit and you can flatten it with a rolling pin, I roll mine to about 2 mm thick and cut my praliné into tiny pieces and you're done!
• you can save your unused praliné for candy, baking, cake decoration or ground it into praliné paste for icecream, butter cream.....

Enjoy!