Pumpkin and caramel chocolates
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon butter
25 g almonds, peeled and chopped
Raw pumpkin, peeled
Sugar
Lemon juice
200 grams of dark chocolate
Preparation:
The preparation of chocolates starts a day before with the pumpkin. Dice about 200-250 g pumpkin, cover with water and bring to a boil. Once it softens enough to be mashed (but not too cooked), drain the water.
Then crush the pumpkin into a thick puree. Weigh the quantity obtained and return it into the saucepan. Add as much sugar as is his weight. Pour in a teaspoon of lemon juice. Simmer (no lid, over low heat). Count between 50 and 70 minutes to get a thick paste that forms a ball round the spoon.
Pour the pumpkin jelly into a suitable container (covered with transparent film), in a way that it makes about 2 cm thickness. Cover with a piece of film and leave aside for 24 hours to have it dried. It is ready when it behaves as a pretty firm jelly. Still sticky, though.
For the caramel layer, put the sugar in a pan. Let melt and slightly caramelize. Add the melted butter while it is still hot. Shake vigorously until you get a smooth amber caramel. Tip in the almonds and stir well. Spread the caramelized nuts (still hot) in small silicone tartalette molds. Shape small round plates 2 mm thick, as a 1 euro coin. Cool.
Then place the caramel “coins” a wire rack, spaced. Fix a small ball of pumpkin jelly on each. Melt half the chocolate in a water bath. Temper with the rest of the chocolate. With a circular mouvement, pour 1 tablespoon of chocolate over each caramel-jelly preparation. The excess chocolate will drain away.
Let the chocolates cool completely at room temperature. Serve immediately.
