Creamy lemon praline

Wash the lemons and peel thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Place the zests in the vodka and let infuse at room temperature for at least one week.

The vodka will absorb the lemon aroma and will later be used to flavor the fondant.

Briefly blanch the squeezed lemons in hot water so the peels soften without breaking apart. Drain the peels. Once cooled, carefully remove the white inner pith.

Bring the water, sugar, glucose syrup, and dextrose to a boil to make a syrup.

Cook the syrup to 102°C (≈ 50°Brix or 27°Bé). Immerse the blanched lemon peels in the hot syrup, cover immediately with foil and let stand overnight.

Day 2, 3, and 4:

• Remove the peels from the syrup.

• Add 150 g sugar to the syrup.

• Reheat the syrup to 102°C and return the peels.

By the end of day 4, the syrup should reach a concentration of 64–70°Brix (34–37°Bé).

Let the peels steep in the syrup for another 24 hours, then drain on a rack and allow to dry.

Store well packaged.

Tip: The remaining syrup can be used to flavor cakes or fondant.

Heat the fondant to about 70°C. Stir in the lemon-vodka and allow the fondant to cool to room temperature.

Pour couverture into the praline molds (spindle-oval shape) and tap out excess chocolate. Let the shells set briefly.

Fill the molds about halfway with the lemon-vodka fondant. Place approx. 1 g of candied lemon peel in each shell and top with more fondant. Allow the filling to firm for several hours.

Seal the molds with couverture, let fully crystallize, and then remove the pralines from the molds.

Mix the yellow powdered food coloring with a few drops of alcohol. Lightly dab the pralines’ surface with a sponge and let dry.