The recipe for the squirrel’s mischief

Ingrédients

• For the caramelized fruit: 200 g raw almonds
• For the caramelized fruit: 200 g raw hazelnuts
• For the caramelized fruit: 150 g sugar
• For the caramelized fruit: 50 g water
• For the coating: 250 g 70% dark chocolate
• For the coating: cocoa powder

Matériel

• Cooking thermometer

Préparation

1. Caramelize the nuts
   Lightly toast the almonds and hazelnuts. In a saucepan, make a syrup with the water and sugar, cooking it to 118°C. Add the almonds and hazelnuts. Over low heat, stir with a wooden spatula. The syrup will coat the nuts, then granulate around them, meaning the sugar will crystallize. Continue stirring until the sugar begins to caramelize, but before it completely melts. Pour the almonds and hazelnuts into a dish and let them cool. Make sure each nut is well separated from the others.
2. Coating
   Place the almonds and hazelnuts in a large bowl. Temper the chocolate. Pour a small stream over the nuts while stirring with a spatula. Wait for the chocolate to begin to harden before pouring more. Do not stop stirring. Finally, lightly dust the squirrel follies with cocoa powder and sift to remove the excess.