Kariokes: Walnut and Chocolate Sweets

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 250 g filling water and 250 g sugar in a pot and bring to the boil. Boil for a few minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved, then remove from the heat.

   Uses 250 g water for the filling syrup · 250 g sugar

2. 2

   Step 2: Off the heat, stir the 85 g butter, 125 g chopped filling chocolate, zest from the orange (1) and 2 tbsp lemon juice into the hot syrup. Stir until the chocolate has melted and everything combines.

   Uses Hot dissolved-sugar filling syrup · 85 g butter · 125 g dark chocolate, chopped, for the filling · 1 orange, zest only · 2 tbsp lemon juice, from about ½ lemon

3. 3

   Step 3: Transfer the warm chocolate filling mixture to a bowl. Mix in all 450 g powdered biscuits and 300 g chopped walnuts until evenly combined.

   Uses Warm chocolate, butter and citrus filling mixture · 450 g petit beurre biscuits, crushed to powder · 300 g walnuts, chopped

4. 4

   Step 4: Divide the filling into three equal parts. Put each third on plastic wrap, shape into a roll about 17 cm long and 3–4 cm thick, and wrap securely. Use the entire filling across the three rolls.

   Uses Three equal thirds of the complete filling

5. 5

   Step 5: Refrigerate all three wrapped rolls overnight, until firm enough to unwrap and slice cleanly.

   Uses Three wrapped filling rolls

6. 6

   Step 6: Shortly before removing the chilled rolls, chop the 1 kg coating chocolate and put it in a dry heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan about one quarter full of hot water, with the bowl resting on the rim and its base above the water. Heat gently on low and stir occasionally until melted. Keep water out of the chocolate.

   Uses 1 kg dark chocolate available for coating · Hot water to fill about one quarter of the saucepan for the chocolate water bath; keep out of the chocolate

7. 7

   Step 7: Unwrap the firm chilled filling rolls and cut them into even slices about 1 cm thick. Three rolls of about 17 cm make approximately fifty pieces, depending on slice thickness.

   Uses Three firm overnight-chilled filling rolls

8. 8

   Step 8: Use a fork to dip each cold filling slice into the melted coating chocolate. Lift out, let excess chocolate drain and set on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat for all the filling slices; the amount of the available coating chocolate that adheres is variable.

   Uses Cold filling slices ready to coat · Melted chocolate from the available 1 kg coating supply

9. 9

   Step 9: Leave the coated pieces at room temperature until the chocolate coating has set. Do not return them to the refrigerator for this setting stage. Serve about fifty pieces.

   Uses Chocolate-coated kariokes on a parchment-lined tray