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1
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper.
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2
Place a 4 1/2 by 8 1/2-inch flan form in the center of one of the baking sheets.
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3
Melt and temper 6 ounces of the chocolate (see pages 2530), then thoroughly blend in the praline paste.
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4
Stir in the hazelnuts.
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5
Pour this mixture into the flan form and use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly and smoothly.
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6
Chill the confection in the refrigerator until firm (2 to 3 hours).
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7
With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut around the rim of the flan form to loosen and remove it.
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8
Leave the confection on the paper.
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9
Melt and temper the remaining 6 ounces chocolate and pour half of it on top of the confection.
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10
Spread it very rapidly with a flexible blade spatula, then use a pastry comb to make a textured design in the chocolate before it sets.
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11
Chill the confection in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets up (about 10 minutes).
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12
Remove the confection from the refrigerator and invert it onto the second baking sheet.
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13
Gently peel the parchment paper off the back of the confection.
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14
Use the remaining tempered chocolate to coat this side and use the pastry comb to make a design.
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15
Chill the confection in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets up (about 10 minutes).
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16
Remove the confection from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
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17
Cut the confection into eight 1-inch-wide bars.
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18
Cut each bar in half to make 1 by 2-inch bars.
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19
Place each bar in a paper candy cup.
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20
In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the bars will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.
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21
They are best served at room temperature.
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22
Almond Chocolate Bars: Substitute almond butter (a variation of praline paste, see page 148) and toasted, whole almonds for the praline paste and the hazelnuts.
