Last year when my mother-in-law returned from Paris, she brought back gifts for all. One of the many things she brought us was a pound of sea salt. Nice! I love sea salt. But what I didn't know at the time is that this is no ordinary sea salt. This is Fleur de sel de Guérande. And according to David Lebovitz, "there's no finer salt available anywhere." Fleur de sel de Guérande is the most highly-prized of all salts. Salt harvesting in salt marshes of the Guérande began in the year 868, and at that time only women were allowed to rake the fleur de sel. Men were thought to be too rough to do such delicate work.
After tasting Fleur de Sel de Guérande, you'll never be able to use ordinary table salt again. Table salt seems almost bitter in comparison. Fleur de sel is a 'finishing' salt. You don't cook with it, but sprinkle it over just before serving. I love it on green salads, roasted potatoes, caprese salad, atop rosemary and butter-topped rolls. And the most fabulous use I've found so far is on these dark chocolate little gems...
Dark Chocolate Truffles with Fleur de Sel
this is a slightly modified version of Pioneer Woman's recipe (because there can never be too much dark chocolate in my life)
Ingredients:
8 oz semisweet chocolate
8 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
8 oz meltable dark chocolate (I used Merckens)
Instructions:
Heat semisweet and bittersweet chocolates and condensed milk in a double boiler over medium low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir frequently. Mixture will have a slight marshmallow texture when chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 Tablespoon of vanilla. Remove from heat and refrigerate for two hours. Roll into balls, then roll in melted meltable dark chocolate, coating completely. Sprinkle with fleur de sel immediately. Pop one directly into your mouth. Mmmmmmm.
I did find a few different sources for Fleur de sel de Guérande when I did a Google search. Amazon has several choices, and so does ChefShop.com.
There is something very fine about dark chocolate and sea salt together.
Enjoy!
7 comments:
Oh my lord, are you trying to kill me?!!! I could eat my way through a whole pound of those truffles!
Did you know that the bitterness you taste in table salt is actually the iodine that is used to iodize it?
I only use sea salt or kosher salt to cook with or sprinkle on top. I haven't tried fleur de sel yet, but you've convinced me. I've heard it is quite sensational on caramel as well.
Jeffery Steingarten wrote about this salt in his books and says that science experiments prove that people cannot tell the difference between fleur de sel and table salt when diluted in water. Maybe it has to be eaten as a topping as you said. Maybe it's a mouth-feel thing.
Oh Susan, you know I'm only thinking of your health... just think of all the antioxidants you'll be consuming! I think you'll enjoy fleur de sel used as a flourish. It has almost a sweet taste on these truffles.
I'll have to try it on caramels, that sounds yummy.
Hi Devon, glad you stopped by!
I've never been a big table salt user, but fleur de sel and dark chocolate is a winning combo. I first tasted truffles like these at a sweet shop in our neighborhood. At $2.50 a piece, I knew I should try making them myself.
You're right, that coarse texture in a bite of anything is hard to ignore.
Fleur de Sel is fantastic! I only use mine for "finishing" dishes: dressing, salads, last minute seasoning and the like. Use it where I can appreciate the difference!
Wow! Your truffles are so impressive and my mouth is watering. My two favorite foods are chocolate and salt! I'd trade something for a batch of those truffles.
Mmmmm! Those chocolates look scrumptious. They are perhaps the perfect use of such a beautiful salt.
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