Truffle Praline Hearts

Truffle Praline Hearts by Sawade with Raspberry and Vanilla

Truffle Praline Hearts by Sawade are ten molded white chocolate hearts without alcohol, light and pink, arranged in two rows. Five contain a raspberry purée filling, while the other five feature a ganache with genuine Bourbon vanilla that unfolds wide and creamy.

Truffle Praline Hearts are a love gift from Sawade in Berlin-Reinickendorf, ten pieces totaling 125 g, nestled in white paper cups under cellophane and held together by a pink seal. The flat packet fits into a jacket pocket, under a pillow, or next to a breakfast plate.

Pink tastes like raspberry here, not like food coloring

The pink hearts get their hue from beetroot, but it is the raspberry that leads the way, as you notice from the very first bite.

White chocolate is intensely sweet and tends to push everything else aside, which is why the fruit here needs to provide enough acidity. The raspberry purée stands up to this sweetness, keeping the filling fresh instead of cloying. A hint of elderberry lingers behind it, extending the fruit with a darker tone.

The light-colored heart beside it takes the opposite approach, letting the Bourbon vanilla unfold broadly, round and creamy until the very end. Both fillings are soft enough that a heart melts on the tongue without needing to be chewed. Start with the vanilla, because the raspberry will otherwise overpower everything that comes after it.

A heart must fall out of the mold

A heart shape has a tip, and that is precisely where it is decided whether a piece succeeds or ends up in the bin.

The white couverture is therefore precisely tempered and poured into the mold, tapped briefly, and then emptied out so that an evenly thin shell remains all around. The filling is added next, followed by the base, and only after cooling does the heart release cleanly and shine from the mold.

White couverture is less forgiving than dark, as it lacks the cocoa mass that usually masks minor imperfections in the molding process. If the temperature is off, the surface turns grey and the tip breaks off upon removal. That is why there is someone at Sawade standing by the molds who has a feel for this exact moment.

Ten pralines for the fourteenth of February

A packet of this size disappears into any overcoat pocket, and that is precisely its charm, as it can be handed over on the go without anyone suspecting a thing. Ten pieces are just the right amount for an evening for two: large enough for a second round and small enough that nothing is left over to sit around sadly.

Café au lait pairs well with these hearts, and a glass of cold milk works just as well. White chocolate is sensitive to heat, so the packet should be stored in a dark place at 15 to 18 degrees; in the refrigerator, however, the cellophane will draw moisture. Butter and cream are used in both fillings, along with milk powder, and the color of the pink half comes from the vegetable garden rather than a dye pot.

The Truffle Praline Box bears the same signature with a dark ganache, while the Nougat Praline Box is nutty and also alcohol-free. Everything for Valentine's Day can be found under Valentine's Day, and the Berlin range from Sawade under Sawade Berlin. Ten hearts divide perfectly by two, yet somehow, the last one will still be negotiated over.