(This article appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)
Owner, St. Croix Chocolate Co., Marine on St. Croix, MN
Everyone thinks that fall equals pumpkin spice, but it’s so much more for us at St. Croix Chocolate Company. We wanted to put the succulent, sweet aroma of harvest pears (from The Perfect Purée) up front, and let the caramel come through for a lingering taste of autumn. Our Pear & Caramel Bon Bon has been a fan favorite for years in our shop.
Yield: 12 molds or 384 chocolates
Shells
- Milk chocolate, tempered
- Shell polycarbonate molds with tempered milk chocolate. Set aside.
Pear Pâte de Fruit
- 500 g The Perfect Purée Pear Purée, thawed
- 550 g granulated sugar, divided
- 12 g yellow or apple pectin
- 60 g glucose or corn syrup
- 7 g citric acid solution (citric acid 1:1 with water, or 7 g fresh squeezed lemon juice)
- 15-20 g pear liqueur
- Warm the pear purée in a pan to 120°F (49˚C).
- While the pear purée warms, mix 1/3 of the sugar with all of the pectin and make sure there are no lumps. Add to the warm purée.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring slowly but constantly to keep from burning on bottom. While keeping the boil going, add the rest of the sugar in small amounts. Add the glucose syrup to the mixture. Heat to about 220°F (104˚C). Stir in acid solution or lemon juice. Remove from heat and pour onto Silpat and cool.
- When cool, mix in a food processor or Robot Coupe with 15-20 g of pear liqueur until a pipeable consistency is achieved. Pipe into molds, filling just under halfway up the side of each cavity.
Salted Butter Caramel
- 835 g heavy cream
- 365 g glucose or corn syrup
- 5 g sea salt
- 540 g granulated sugar, divided
- 185 g unsalted butter
- 260 g milk chocolate
- Heat the cream, glucose syrup and salt in a saucepan to simmer. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Heat a little of the sugar in another larger pan on medium-low heat. When the sugar begins to melt, add a little more sugar. Repeat until all the sugar is melted in the pan and is a golden or slightly red color. Add the butter in chunks of about 40 g. Use a whisk with a long handle to stir. When all of the butter has been added to the sugar, pour in the warm cream mixture (mixture may splatter, so keep your face away from the rising steam). Stir everything together well and cook to about 216°F (102˚C). Remove from heat and pour in bowl. Let cool at room temperature to 140°F (60˚C), then add the milk chocolate and stir till smooth. Let cool to room temperature. 3. Pipe on top of the Pear Pâte de Fruit, leaving a little space for the final layer of chocolate.
Finishing
- Milk chocolate, tempered
Photos by Robyn Dochterman
Robyn Dochterman is the Owner of St. Croix Chocolate Co. in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota.
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