Valentine’s Day Chocolate Heart with Vanilla Pralines
An elegant and indulgent chocolate creation, imagined especially for Valentine’s Day: intense dark chocolate hearts, filled with pralines offering contrasting textures and flavours, enhanced by vanilla and delicate inclusions. A recipe designed for precision work and pastry creativity.

Chocolate heart composition
-
75% dark chocolate shells
-
Corn praline
-
Pistachio praline
-
Chocolate & cocoa nib praline
-
Candied ginger & vanilla praline
Decorations: caramelised pistachios, puffed popcorn, cocoa nibs, gold powder
Corn praline
Ingredients
- 40 g water
- 137 g organic cane sugar
- 14 g glucose
- 257 g raw almonds
- 257 g blanched almonds
- 148 g Inka Corn
- 148 g roasted Chullpi corn
Method
- Roast the almonds at 160 °C for 15 minutes.
- Prepare a light caramel with the water, sugar and glucose.
- Add the almonds and corn, then allow to cool.
- Blend cold until the desired texture is achieved.
Pistachio praline
Ingredients
- 120 g Iranian pistachios
- 80 g sugar
- 25 g water
- 20 g glucose
- 2 g salt
Method
- Roast the pistachios at 160 °C for 30 minutes.
- Prepare a dark caramel with the sugar, water and glucose.
- Add the roasted nuts.
- Spread onto a tray and allow to cool.
- Blend at 45–50 °C until smooth.
- Store and keep at 4 °C.
Chocolate & cocoa nib praline
Ingredients
- 66 g roasted almonds
- 44 g roasted cocoa nibs
- 85 g sugar
- 19 g water
- 13 g grapeseed oil
- 9 g fleur de sel
Method
- Prepare a dark caramel with the sugar and water.
- Pour over the nuts and cocoa nibs.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Blend until smooth and homogeneous.
Vanilla candied ginger
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh ginger
- 1 kg caster sugar
- 1 L water
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- QS crystal sugar (optional)
Method
- Peel and cut the ginger into even pieces.
- Blanch 2 to 3 times depending on the desired intensity.
- Simmer with the water, sugar and vanilla for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Leave to macerate in the syrup for 12 to 24 hours.
- Drain and dry at 50 °C or at room temperature.
Candied ginger & vanilla praline
Ingredients
- 500 g nuts (70% almonds, 30% hazelnuts)
- 300 g sugar
- 150 g drained candied ginger
- 5 g fleur de sel
- 30 to 50 g neutral oil or cocoa butter
Method
- Roast the nuts at 160 °C for 20 minutes.
- Prepare a light brown caramel with the sugar.
- Add the warm nuts and salt.
- Allow to cool, then blend.
- Add the candied ginger and fat.
- Blend at 45–50 °C until smooth.
Dark chocolate shells
Ingredients
- 75% dark chocolate
Method
- Temper the dark chocolate.
- Mould into heart shapes.
- Allow to crystallise, then demould.
- Fill with the pralines of your choice.