Salva d'Or

Hein Geers, Netherlands

Balsamico caramel

• 260 grams of sugar
• 40 grams of glucose syrup
• 60 grams of creamery butter
• 150 grams of cream 35%
• 70 grams of milkchocolate “Java”
• 12,5 grams of Balsamico vinegar “12 years old”
• 1 vanilla pod “Bourbon”

- let the sugar and the glucose syrup caramelise lightly.
- heat the cream, the butter, and the vanilla to 90°C and quench the caramel with this mixture.
- add the chocolate when the caramel reaches a temperature of approx. 45°C.
- mix the Balsamico with the cooled down caramel.

Raspberry basil ganache

• 125 grams of cream 35%
• 30 grams of invert sugar
• 75 grams of raspberry puree
• 375 grams of white chocolate “Arriba”
• 17 grams of raspberry esprit
• 1 drop of ethereal basil oil

- bring the cream, the sugar and the raspberry puree to the boil.
- finely chop the chocolate and dissolve it in the cream at approx. 45°C.
- mix the basil oil and the raspberry esprit.
- add the liqueur when the ganache has cooled down.

Praline composition

Let the ganache cool down and temper it on the work tablet.
Spread the ganache to a 1 cm thick layer.
Cover the bottom side with a thin layer of chocolate.
Slice and dice the composition.
Dent the top side of each dice.
Fill up the dents using a small amount of Balsamico caramel.
Enrobe the pralines with Santa Domingo chocolate when the filling has solidified.
Decorate the pralines with a chip of gold leaf.

Praline made at the World Chocolate Masters 2005 Finals in France.