Recently I discovered a new product that we are carrying at Qualifirst. It is called Pink Praline. It occured to me that a few years ago when travelling in Paris, I ate a delicous pink studded pastry from Boulanger Eric Kayser patisserie in Paris. To be honest, I became so captivated with it, that it lead me to booking a trip to Lyon. NOT KIDDING. But I digress. These lovely morsels of colour lend flair and flavour to all sorts of baked goods.
Praline Rose as the French call it, has a long history, specifically in Lyon, France, where you will find its beautiful pink hue, studding everything from Brioche and financier to the classic tarte au praline rose. The pink praline is a roasted almond enrobed in layers of melted sugar. The coating is rough and uneven. Then it is covered in a coating of pink. The enrobing sugar is not caramelized, so the sugar inside remains white and has a softer bite than traditional praline made with caramelized sugar. While edible on its own, it is most delicious when broken and used in baking.
*From experience and experimentation, I learned it is best to crush it with a mallet or hammer (place in a zip top bag, wrap in tea towel and bang away). The processor tends to crush too finely and turns the candy coating to dust. While researcing I found this lovely post on Chocolate and Zucchini about Praline Rose.