Dark chocolate orange ganache with sesame praline
Chocolate ganache is surprisingly easy to bring together and makes an impressive and smart dessert. Embellished with an orange-infused olive oil for chocolate orange fans and served with a crunchy sesame praline in the form of powder and shards – this has a deeply satisfying savoury yet sweet flavour profile.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
GANACHE
- 100ml of olive oil
- 2 oranges, zest of 1 orange pared into strips, the other zested
- 200g of 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 200ml of double cream
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
SESAME PRALINE
- 1 tbsp of black sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds
- 100g of caster sugar
- 2 tbsp of water
STRAWBERRIES
- 150g of strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 2 tbsp of icing sugar
- 1/2 orange, juiced
Equipment
- Stick blender
- Non-stick baking mat
Method
For the ganache, first make an orange-infused olive oil. Place the olive oil in a small saucepan with the pared orange zest over a medium heat. Warm the oil gently for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover and allow to infuse whilst you make the ganache base
- 100ml of olive oil
- 1 orange, zest pared into strips
Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream, honey and a pinch of salt in a saucepan until steaming. Carefully pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds. Use a handheld blender to emulsify the mixture into a smooth ganache (or you can use a spatula to stir from the middle of the bowl. The mixture will draw cream in from the outside in – this is called localised stirring)
- 200g of 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 200ml of double cream
- 1 tbsp of honey
Strain the olive oil through a sieve set over a bowl, discarding the orange zest. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the ganache with the vanilla and blend again with the handheld blender until fully emulsified. Transfer to a container then, once cool, set in the fridge for 3 hours, or until firm
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the sesame praline, preheat the oven to 150°C and place a non-stick baking mat on a heatproof surface
Place the sesame seeds on a baking sheet and warm in the oven
- 1 tbsp of black sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds
Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Melt without stirring until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber caramel. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the sesame seeds and a pinch of salt. Immediately pour onto the non-stick baking mat and tip it to the sides to create a thin layer. Allow to cool completely until hard and brittle
- 100g of caster sugar
- 2 tbsp of water
Place the strawberries in a bowl with the icing sugar and the orange juice. Mix to coat then set aside to macerate for 30 minutes
- 150g of strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 2 tbsp of icing sugar
- 1/2 orange, juiced
Break off 12 small shards of the praline (you can do this in between 2 sheets of baking paper). Blitz the rest into a praline powder in a small food processor or pestle and mortar
To serve, spoon some praline powder into the centre of the plate. Quennelle the ganache on top and arrange the strawberries and shards on the side. Drizzle a little orange-infused olive oil over the ganache and finish with sea salt and orange zest
- 1 orange, zested
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