But it is the Belgians who have praline. You might know it from a store selling specialty chocolates in the shape of “sea fruit”, like sea horses and shells. They are often a marble mix of milk chocolate and white chocolate and they are filled with a smooth cream-like filling - praline. This was first developed by Jean Neuhaus II and brought to market in 1912. Some may know these chocolates as ‘bonbons”. But Belgian praline is much different than the cookie-like sweet with nuts in it found sometimes in the US.
The praline filling is based on hazelnuts. Other fillings can be based in cream or even marzipan or a liqueur. They come in all shapes and are good for any occasion. If one is visiting a friend or meeting someone new, a box of pralines is always a good gift, especially for those who might not appreciate flowers. When you don’t know what to buy someone as a gift, a box of pralines will always do nicely. They come in white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate and include nuts for those who enjoy them.
Neuhaus is still one of the major houses known in Belgium and around the world for their chocolates. Others include Godiva, Guylian and Leonidas. Belgians were able to really get into chocolate because of their link with Congo where they had a ready supply of cacao beans. Belgian chocolate is required to have at least 30% cacao butter to be called chocolate. Many other “chocolates” have far less chocolate (cacao butter) and therefore taste waxy or simply sweet.
Every two weeks I visit a lady of 93 years in a nursing home who has finally figured out that I do not eat cookies (I am gluten intolerant). Now she always makes sure that there is some chocolate (dark chocolate is my favorite, and she knows this) or some pralines. For her birthday I was sent to a special chocolatier (a store that only deals in chocolates) to get a box of pralines for her guests and the nurses. This store deals only with the best, including American presidents, French potentates and local big-wigs.
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