Amlou is Moroccan peanut butter, thick and creamy, and made with almonds, honey and argan oil, which gives the nut butter a really distinct flavour. I love using Arganic Argan Oil, but If you can’t find argan oil, just use vegetable oil. For these chocolate cups, I have whisked butter and icing sugar into the amlou to get the right texture. When you pour over the top layer of chocolate, to get if the right consistency it needs to be completely melted. Keep the chocolate above the pan of simmering water the whole time so that it stays molten and doesn’t split.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 fan and tip the almonds onto a baking tray. Roast for 12-15 minutes until they are dark in colour and smell intensely nutty. Leave to cool completely.
- Tip the almonds into a food processor and blend into a fine powder. Continue to blitz until they release their natural oils and come together into a nut butter. This will take about 5-10 minutes and you will have to scrape the sides down several times. Once you have a lovely luscious, thick paste, pour into a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pour in the argan oil. Mix well. Add the icing sugar and butter and whisk together to thicken. Cover and set to one side.
- Melt the chocolate above a pan of just simmering water. Once melted, add the rose water and a pinch of salt. Stir together.
- Put 12 muffin cups into a tray. Divide half the melted chocolate between the muffin cups and place them into the fridge to firm up for 30 mins. Once cool, divide the amlou between each muffin cup, spooning it over the set chocolate. Pop into the fridge to firm up for 15 minutes. Pour the remaining melted chocolate into each muffin cup over the amlou so that you have three layers; two chocolate sandwiching the amlou. Scatter a little pistachios and salt over each. Leave to set completely and serve with a few rose petals scattered over the top.
Ingredients
Makes 12
250g almonds
1 tbsp argan oil
35g soft butter, cubed
50g icing sugar
350g dark chocolate
1 tsp rose water
Ground pistachio slithers to serve
Rose petals to serve
Sea salt
