Recipes: Paul Young Valentines

California Prune Valentine Heart Chocolate

Makes: 45-50 Chocolates
Preparation time: 1 hour
Plus overnight setting

For the filling - Ganache:
325g Valrhona caramelia chocolate
125mls milk
87g Valrhona Pecan praline paste
35g Light Muscovado sugar
15 drops Essential Oil of Orange
For the California Prune layer:
100g California Prune purée

Instructions:
Using an artist's paint brush apply a small amount of the scarlet powder into the bottom of each of the heart moulds.

Melt the chocolate in a bain marie to 55°c and allow to stay warm and melted for a couple of hours. This will ensure a shiny and smooth finish to your chocolates.

Temper the chocolate and line each mould with tempered chocolate making sure you tap the mould to eliminate any air bubbles.

Tip out all the excess chocolate to leave a chocolate lined cavity.

Place this in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Using a piping bag squeeze a small mount of the purée into each lined heart.

Then fill another piping bag with the cooled ganache and fill the heart just below the top and tap the mould to level.

Leave the mould overnight to set.

Now melt and temper the chocolate again and seal the bottoms of the chocolates by scraping along the mould to give a flat surface, sealing in all the ganache and California Prune purée.

Allow to set for 30 minutes then turn the mould carefully to release the chocolates out of their moulds.

They will only release if the chocolate has been correctly tempered.

Keep in a cool dry place and enjoy within seven days.

See more at: www.californiaprunes.co.uk