I make no secret of the fact that I love chocolate.
In fact the only thing I love more than chocolate is
blogging!
(Note: I said ‘thing’ which excludes all my nearest and
dearest – including the pets – phew!)
That said – I’m also a sucker for anything new and a
little bit left of square so when a package containing Lindt’s new chocolate flavours arrived on my doorstep
there were squeals of glee all round.
There were three in the pack - Lindt Excellence Dark Caramel
combining rich dark chocolate and caramel in one seriously addictive block.
There are small bits of sweet caramel scattered through the silky-smooth, dark
chocolate, giving it a delightful crunch as well as a remarkable depth of
flavour.
Lindt Excellence Chilli combines fine dark chocolate and red
chillies to create a surprisingly smooth and seductive flavour. Rather than fiery
heat from the chilli, you first get the rich cocoa taste then a subtle hint of
chilli develops deep on your tongue with a lingering warmth.
Lindt Excellence Blueberry Intense is a fruit and nut
combination with a berry taste and fine slivers of almond. The berry aroma is surprisingly
intense as you tear open the foil and when it melts on your tongue, the deep
fruit flavour and tang of the delicate blueberry pieces lingers.
So I sat down, with K2's assistance, and tasted my way through the three blocks for the following preference results
1 .Lindt Excellence Dark Caramel
2. Lindt Excellence Chilli
3. Lindt Excellence Blueberry Intense
If you can stop yourself away from devouring the block,
here’s a recipe for Lindt Chocolate Caramel Tartlets by Thomas Schnetzler,
Lindt Maître Chocolatier.
‘These small treats are as pretty as a picture and are
the perfect indulgence for an elegant afternoon tea party; or with a few extra
decorations can make an impressive dinner party dessert. The caramel chocolate
combination is delectable, and the addition of crème fraiche cuts through some
of the richness,” Thomas Schnetzler
Or if you want an easier fix, my friend Melanie says
simply substitute Excellence Chilli in this Lindt recipe
Caramel Tartlets
Serves 8 (8cm tartlet molds).
Preparation time 30 minutes. NB: Prepare filling a day in advance
Chocolate short crust pastry
100g plain flour
25g cocoa
powder
25g pure icing
sugar
Pinch salt
30g Lindt
Excellence Dark Caramel, finely chopped
60g unsalted
butter, chilled and cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water, ice
cold
Filling
140g caster sugar
30g glucose
syrup
60ml water
80g unsalted
butter
60g crème
fraiche
200g Lindt
Excellence Dark Caramel, chopped
Caramel Sauce
200g caster sugar
40ml water
150ml cream, at
room temperature
Method:
For the short crust pastry, place dry ingredients and
chocolate into a food processor and pulse until combined. Add chilled butter
and process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Mix in egg yolk and water
until just combined. Remove dough and wrap in cling film, press flat and place
in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
For the tartlet base, roll out the dough to about 3mm
thickness and line buttered tartlet molds. Line the pastry shells with baking
paper, fill with rice and bake-blind at 170°C. After approximately 8 minutes,
remove the paper and rice and finish baking until cooked (5-10 minutes). Take
care not to overcook. Set aside to cool completely.
For the filling, combine the sugar, water and glucose in
a saucepan and cook to a dark caramel*, washing the sides of the pot down with
a brush dipped in water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Once desired
colour is reached, take off heat and mix in the butter with care as it might
bubble and splatter. Mix in the crème fraiche and finally the chocolate,
stirring until all dissolved. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and
keep at room temperature overnight.
For the caramel sauce, place sugar and water in a medium
saucepan and cook as above until desired caramel colour is reached. Take off
heat, add a little cream and whisk vigorously, watching for steam and
splatters. Add a little more cream and place some caramel sauce on a plate to
cool and test its thickness.
To finish, divide the mixture between the pastry shells,
decorate with caramel sauce and other decorations if desired, and serve.
Maitre’s Tip
*It is important to cook the caramel to a relatively dark
colour to flavour the filling with a rich caramel taste rather than just
sweetness. Once starting to turn brown, check the true colour of the caramel
with a piece of baking paper as it might appear darker in the pot than it
actually is.
