Dark Chocolate Fudge Squares with a Milk Chocolate Ganache Center

Well, a new threat to our waistlines has landed at our magical Parisian apartment 🙂 Part of what we do means we’re often sent brand-new ingredients that have just hit the market, to test out in our little home kitchen.

Of course, all our friends and colleagues in the business know that anything to do with the world of chocolate, praliné, vanilla and coffee is always warmly welcomed, since my recipes live in exactly that world.

So this week, a few kilos of Pierre Marcolini’s new chocolate landed on our doorstep, yet another delicious threat to our waistlines 🙂 Just so you understand, these aren’t chocolate bonbons (pralines) but real chocolate coins, also known as couverture pistoles, made for use in cakes, desserts and the like.

Until now, Marcolini has sold the creations of a chocolatier, a true master of chocolate: chocolate bars, bonbons, spreads and so on. This year, the chef decided to launch a new collection of chocolate coins as a raw ingredient rather than a finished product. He unveiled it at the brand’s festive Christmas event, which was dedicated this year to the launch of these chocolates in stores.

The Marcolini chocolate coins come in elegant rectangular boxes that look a bit like coffee capsule packaging. The collection currently includes 8 varieties, ranging from a 45% milk chocolate to an 82% dark chocolate, each with its own flavor profile that reflects the origin of the cacao beans.

For this recipe I used two chocolates I absolutely loved, and which I think suit what I created perfectly. The first is the 77% Peru Whisper, made from Peruvian cacao beans, with a balanced flavor and a wonderful texture that is just right for the fudge itself. For the ganache cubes I used the 45% milk chocolate Origin Meadow, a gorgeous chocolate with hints of caramel and vanilla that give it a deep, milky taste and a real sense of gourmet indulgence.

Of course, any good-quality dark chocolate and any good-quality milk chocolate will do the job just as well 🙂

Dark Chocolate Fudge Squares with a Milk Chocolate Ganache Center
20×20 cm square pan

Ingredients
Milk Chocolate Filling:
200g milk chocolate, chopped
50g heavy cream

Dark Chocolate Fudge:
200g dark chocolate (77%)
150g butter
140g light brown sugar
A pinch of fleur de sel
170g eggs (about 3 large eggs)
40g flour (or cornstarch for a gluten-free version)
20g cocoa powder

Preparation
1. Milk Chocolate Filling: Melt the chocolate and cream together in a double boiler or the microwave, stirring until you have a smooth ganache. Pour it into a silicone chocolate-bar mold, or a small plastic container of similar size lined with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least an hour, until the ganache is completely firm. Lift it out of the mold and cut into big, thick cubes.
2. Dark Chocolate Fudge: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease the pan and line it with parchment paper.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or the microwave. 
4. Add the sugar and salt to the chocolate mixture and stir vigorously with a hand whisk.
5. Add the eggs gradually, whisking well by hand after each one, until the batter turns glossy and thick
6. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold gently, just until the flour is absorbed and the batter is smooth. Don’t overmix, so the fudge keeps its dense, fudgy texture.
7. Pour half of the fudge batter into the bottom of the pan and smooth it out.
8. Arrange the milk chocolate ganache cubes at even intervals over the fudge layer, pressing them lightly into the batter.
9. Pour the second half of the batter over the ganache cubes and gently smooth the top so they’re completely covered.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble.
11. Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes, then cut into squares, each with a ganache cube at its heart. Enjoy the fudge warm 🙂 It’s also lovely served with vanilla ice cream.

Bon-Appétit
Sharon