For dinner parties or special meals, this Chocolate Carambar® verrine is perfect and will bring back childhood memories, especially if you grew up in France, as every French child is familiar with Carambar® and Mi-cho-ko® sweets and this dessert will delight adults and children alike!
This delicious verrine combines rich dark chocolate ganache, toasted hazelnuts and a smooth caramel milk made from Carambar®. You can find these sweets at our centre in Mosman or get Carambar® from some French boulangeries in Australia, England and America.
Carambar® sweets are a bit of an institution in France. These long bars of caramel are easily recognisible by their bright yellow wrapping paper with their titles written in red.
The ambition of many English speaking people is to understand one of the jokes found on the inside wrapper of the Carambar® without having to rely on an English interpretor to translate and a Frenchman to explain why it is funny!
Ingredients
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours
Serves 8 (espresso size glasses)
- 100g hazelnuts, finely chopped
For the chocolate ganache:
- 200g dark chocolate (70%)
- 250ml pure cream
For the layer of Carambar®:
- 100ml full cream milk (organic is best)
- 10 Carambar® cut into small pieces
To decorate (optional):
- 8 dark chocolate Mi-cho-ko® sweets
Method
Start by preparing the ganache:
- Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bain-marie.
- Warm the cream in a saucepan to just before boiling point (but do not boil) and then pour it over the melted chocolate, whisking thoroughly until it is smooth and shiny. Set aside for a couple of moments.
- Toast the hazelnut pieces in a frying pan until golden.
- Divide the hazelnuts between the 8 glasses then do the same for the chocolate ganache, pouring it over the hazelnuts to create a new layer in the glass.
- Leave to chill in the fridge for about 4 hours or until the ganache is set.
Meanwhile make the Carambar® milk layer:
Heat the milk over a very low heat and then add the pieces of Carambar®. Leave it on a low heat for about 15 minutes till the sweets have completely blended into the milk. Stir gently from time to time and check on it so it doesn’t burn. Take off the heat once it is a smooth mixture and leave to one side to cool. (Note: if you are making ahead you can make this component and chill in the fridge for a couple of days, just make sure you take it out about 30 mins prior to serving so it is easy to pour.)
When you want to serve the verrines, take them out of the fridge at least 15 minutes prior to serving. Just before you serve, pour the Carambar® mixture on the top of the chocolate ganache layer and decorate with a Mi-cho-ko®. If you can’t get these sweets then you can use grated chocolate or some caramelised hazelnuts or another chocolate toffee or favourite childhood sweets for fun!