Description
Glossy dark-chocolate skull shells filled with soft salted caramel and cocoa-nib praline crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, for praline
- 1/3 cup (40 g) roasted cocoa nibs
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, for caramel
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
- 18 oz (510 g) dark chocolate between 60% and 70%, finely chopped
- 1 tsp (4 g) flaky salt, optional finish
Instructions
- Caramelize 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar to amber, stir in cocoa nibs, and spread on a silicone mat. Cool and crush finely.
- Cook 1 cup (200 g) sugar with water to dark honey color. Slowly whisk in warm cream.
- Cook the caramel to 238°F (114°C). Remove from heat and mix in butter, vanilla, and fine salt. Cool completely.
- Temper 12 oz (340 g) dark chocolate, using the remaining 6 oz (170 g) as seed chocolate.
- Fill an eighteen-cavity silicone skull mold with chocolate, tap out bubbles, invert to drain, and scrape clean. Let begin to set.
- Add a second thin chocolate coat where needed and set again.
- Pipe cool caramel into each shell below the rim and add a pinch of praline.
- Cover with tempered chocolate, scrape the backs level, and chill briefly until firm.
- Release gently and finish with a few flakes of salt.
Notes
Keep water away from the chocolate and cool caramel fully before filling so the shells remain glossy and sealed.