Chocolate and Praline Eggs

By corlear

Oeufs Bressane
The eggs of Bresse deserve notice as well as the chickens. Visiting Bourg-en-Bresse in 1882, Henry James sat down to bread and butter and boiled eggs that were "so good I am ashamed to say how many of them I consumed. It might seem that an egg which has succeeded in being fresh has done all that can reasonably be expected of it. But there was a bloom of punctuality, so to speak, about those eggs of Bourg, as if it had been the intention of the very hens themselves that they should be promptly served." The following "eggs" are an inspiration of the local chocolate shops.

Ingredients

• For the Praline:
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole, unblanched almonds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• For the Ganache:
• 5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1-2 Tbsp Grand Marnier

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

With a small sharp knife, carefully pierce the pointed end of an egg. Use scissors to cut a round from the top, leaving a hole with a diameter of about 25 cm/1 in. Hold the shell upside down and shake it gently to remove the contents; the egg white and yolk can be used for another dish. Repeat with the other eggs. Wash the shells thoroughly; then heat them in a low oven (l5O°C/3O0°F) for 10 minutes or until dry. Let the shells cool.

Make the praline:
[This section seems to be missing from the book.]

Make the ganache:
Melt the chocolate in a small pan set in a water bath of hot water; stir until smooth. In another pan bring the cream to a boil and stir it into the melted chocolate. Let cool slightly; then stir in the Grand Marnier.

Beat the praline into the ganache; the mixture will be thick, but pourable. Transfer it to a measuring cup and pour the mixture into the eggs, filling them level with the top of the shell. Chill for 3-4 hours or until firm. The eggs are best if kept several days for the flavour to mellow.

Decorate the eggs as you like. They can be topped with a browned almond, or encircled with a bow of ribbon. For Easter, pattern the shells using oil or poster paints, in the manner of Russian Easter eggs.

Serve the eggs at room temperature, presented in an egg carton. Use egg cups for serving.