Praline

The praline or praline is a bit large product made ​​of chocolate with tasty fillings determined ( ganache or nougat, nuts, pistachios, liqueur, marzipan, or the like ) or fruits. Chocolates, because of their expensive production as the culmination of chocolatiers.

Demarcation

Prerequisite for the designation chocolate praline is a share of at least 25 percent. If for chocolates, the proportion of 25% chocolate is not reached, then one speaks of confectionery. Furthermore, it must be the sweet bite to be declared praline.

Furthermore, called " praline ", a dessert specialty of the French region of Rhône -Alpes ( Lyon). It involves a mass of (not caramelized ) sugar and almonds, which is usually colored pink and as an ingredient in both brioches, but also as a covering is used on tarts for dessert.

History of chocolate candy

As the inventor of the praline applies the German chef César de Choiseul. César de Choiseul, Count of Plessis- Praslin, Marshal of France and Minister of the Sun King Louis XIV, who had sent him as a diplomat for observation after Regensburg. The inventor of the chocolate candy named his confection made ​​of almonds and sugar to his master.

Basically, there are two different manufacturing processes. The original process consisted of the immersion, for example, nuts or candied fruit in syrup or caramel, for example of molded pieces in the liquid chocolate mass marzipan. Developed in 1912, Jean Neuhaus, the process of pouring metal molds with melted chocolate to fill with chopped nuts, dried fruit, liqueurs and other things and be sealed with chocolate chips. After cooling, the finished chocolates could be overthrown from the molds. In the further course of machines have been developed that could fill small chocolate bar with this process. This process led to the industrialization of chocolate candy. By cheaper ingredients, for example, use of less expensive, partly inferior vegetable fats instead of the more expensive cocoa butter, the value of the chocolate became lower.

Today try especially small manufacturers - often by hand - to give a special value back with high quality ingredients and special fillings such as spices, fresh fruit and tea infusions of the praline.

As a stronghold of chocolate makers are Belgium and Switzerland. The famous chocolate manufacturers are:

• In Belgium, Godiva, Neuhaus and Leonidas and numerous smaller chocolatiers. Jean Neuhaus of Neuchâtel ( Switzerland ) in 1857 settled in Brussels and opened a pharmacy in which he first drove liqueur chopsticks against stomach problems. His son Frédéric finally persuaded him to change into the pastry tray.
• In Switzerland: Lindt, Suchard, Confiserie Sprüngli

Known varieties of chocolates

• Seafood (Chocolate) - Belgian Chocolates
• Mozart Balls
• Hallorenkugeln
• Baci di Perugia ( Perugia Kisses )
• Truffles ( chocolates )
• Brandy Beans, invented by Hugo Asbach
• Hofbauer