Croquants au chocolat - à l'écorce d'orange confite

This is a more expensive recipe to make, but that means that it has expensive taste as well! I was very satisfied with these croquants. They are a sweet sweet dessert, but it is not an overload! With the mixture of chocolate, orange and honey, there is not a focus on one flavor - you can really taste all the different flavors. The texture was a bit crunchy, hence the french name "croquant," but as they melt a little in your hand, they are a but chewy as well. This really is the most different dessert I have ever made, but I felt like such a fancy baker succeeding. =)

Croquants au chocolat - á l'écorce d'orange confit

Remember, these recipes are coming from a French dessert book entitled, "Biscuits et Petits Gateaux." All the ingredients are easily found in France, so it is possible that if you are somewhere else, you can have difficulty finding ingredients. Also, I am translating the directions from French to English, so I apologize for awkward statements

Preparation: 30 minutes // Refrigeration: 1 hour // Cook time: 8-10 minutes


Ingredients:

200 grams of dark chocolate
100 grams of candied orange peel
50 grams (little bit more than 2 tablespoons) of honey
15 cl of creme fraiche épaisse (this is a french ingredient that may be hard to find in the states. I have heard that Trader Joes sells it. Otherwise try sour cream, it is the best match in flavor and texture.)
150 grams (2/3 cup) of sugar
60 grams (1/2 cup) of flour
oil for the baking sheet


Making the caramel:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Oil two baking sheets. Cut up 100 grams of candied orange peels. In a medium sized sauce pan, add 50 grams of honey, 150 grams of sugar and 15 cl of créme fraiche and bring to a boil. Continue to stir the mixture at a high heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. To verify that the caramel is ready, drop a small bit of the caramel into a cup of cold water : it should form into a molded ball. This part actually took me a long time to complete. I was stirring for almost 20 minutes!! I think this was because I didn't keep the heat high enough. Also, the ball of caramel won't necessarily form itself, touch it and if it is sticky enough to hold together, it should be ready. If you get a nicely formed ball of caramel, congratulations!

Forming the croquants:

Add the chopped orange peels to the caramel mix as well as 60 grams of flour. Mix rapidly and then remove the pan from the stove. With the help of 2 teaspoons (small spoons, not necessarily the measuring spoons) spoon out a nice bit of the mixture and drop it onto the oiled baking sheet. Leave enough space between each croquant. Slip the baking sheet into the oven and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes.

Melting the chocolate:

While the second batch is in the oven, and the others are cooling, melt the chocolate. The best way to melt the chocolate is in a small sauce pan placed in a larger sauce pan of boiling water. Break up the 200 grams of chocolate into the small pan and the water will melt the chocolate without burning it.

Topping the croquants:

After the chocolate is nicely melted, take a spatula or a knife and spread the chocolate onto the tops of the croquants. Place them on something flat that will fit in the refrigerator and let them cool for about an hour.