Nigel Slater’s chocolate and praline recipes (2024)

Sometimes, a cook has to concentrate. No distractions. No interruptions. We might even consider turning our phone off. And so it is with praline, that crunchy, sweet, nut brittle that marries so irresistibly with chocolate.

So, you put the almonds or hazelnuts in a shallow pan and toast them over a low heat. Take your time. You give the pan a shake every now and again turning the nuts over as you go, so they brown evenly. A pale biscuit colour is perfect. Any darker and you risk bitterness.

Scatter caster sugar over the nuts in an even layer and leave it to melt. Don’t stir, no matter how tempted you might be. No, really, don’t. If the sugar is melting unevenly, then tilt the pan, letting the melting sugar flow. Once the sugar has melted, leave it to turn a rich amber gold, without taking your eyes off it for a minute.

Tip the caramel and nuts on to a non-stick baking sheet and leave to cool. Bash to a powder, coarse or fine, as you wish, using a mortar and pestle or a food processor. You are ready to go. Just don’t get distracted.

Steamed chocolate pudding, praline and spiced cream

Serves 6
For the pudding:
butter 150g
soft brown sugar 150g
self-raising flour 100g
ground almonds 50g
cocoa 50g
eggs 3
milk 50ml

For the spiced cream:
double cream 500ml
blood orange 2 short strips of peel
cloves 4
star anise 2, whole
nutmeg ½
cinnamon stick whole

For the praline:
almonds 50g, skinned
golden caster sugar 75g

Butter a 2-pint pudding basin and put a disc of baking parchment in the base to stop the top of the pudding sticking. Put the butter and soft brown sugar in the bowl of a food mixer and cream together until pale and fluffy. Mix together the flour, ground almonds and cocoa. Break the eggs in a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. With the beater still turning, add the eggs, a little at time.

Put a large, deep pan of water on to boil, just enough to come half way up the sides of the pudding basin.

With the machine on low speed, fold the flour, almonds and cocoa into the butter and sugar mixture, then the milk. When there are no signs of flour left, transfer to the pudding basin, gently smoothing the surface.

Enclose the top with baking parchment then foil (I use clingfim, enclosing the entire bowl) then lower into the simmering water. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to steam for 90 minutes. Check the water level from time to time and top up if necessary.

To make the praline, toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden, turning them regularly. Add the sugar, evenly sprinkling it over the pan. Leave, without stirring, until the sugar has melted. As soon as they turn deep gold, tip the nuts and caramel on to a non-stick baking sheet or piece of baking parchment. When the nuts are cool enough to handle, process two-thirds of them to coarse crumbs in a food processor.

To make the infused cream, pour the cream into a small saucepan. Remove a couple of strips of orange peel and add to the cream, together with the cloves and star anise. Grate a little nutmeg over the surface. Drop in the cinnamon stick. Bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and set aside.

When you are ready to serve, remove the pudding from its water and leave for 10 minutes to settle. Remove the paper and foil, slide a palette knife around the sides, and tip upside down on to a plate.

Scatter the surface with the crushed praline and pour over the infused cream. Break the remaining caramel nuts into pieces and offer them round for those who wish.

Chocolate hazelnut mousse

The thickest chocolate mousse with a fine layer of crisp chocolate and praline on top. The trick is not to let the mixture get too hot, and to fold the egg yolks in quickly but lightly.

To cover:
dark chocolate 100g

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the butter and stir, lightly, to mix. Add the espresso.

Separate the eggs, then beat the whites until they are almost stiff. Remove the mixture from the heat, then fold the egg yolks in. Work quickly, stirring gently and firmly. Fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, approximately 20-22cm in diameter, or into six small dishes. Place in the fridge, covered with clingfilm, for at least 4 hours, to set.

Meanwhile make the praline. Toast the nuts in a shallow pan until golden. Scatter over the sugar and leave to melt. When the caramel is golden, pour on to a baking sheet and leave to cool. Process to coarse crumbs.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Scrape out of the bowl with a rubber spatula, smoothing it over the surface of the cold, set chocolate mousse. Scatter with the hazelnut praline and return to the fridge until the chocolate has set.

Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater