Chocolate and Praline
Our professional selection of couverture chocolates and pralines from Valrhona, Callebaut, and Cacao Barry. For pastry, chocolate making, bakery, and signature creations. From grand cru to workshop format, including signature pralines and Italian giandujas.
View all products↓What you will find
1Valrhona Pralines
Valrhona pralines are the benchmark for professional pastry chefs. Made in copper kettles following the historic know-how of Tain-l'Hermitage: roasted and caramelized nuts, then finely ground to obtain a smooth paste. Available in smooth, crunchy, or caramelized versions depending on the desired texture.
Our advice: start with the Valrhona Almond Hazelnut Praline 50%, the universal classic covering most recipes. For high-volume workshops, the 5kg format of Pistachio Praline 42% or Pecan 50% offers the best value.
2Gianduja
Gianduja is a traditional Italian specialty born in Turin in the 19th century: a blend of chocolate, roasted Piedmont hazelnuts, and sugar, conched for several hours for a characteristic smooth texture. Different from praline by its cocoa content and mouthfeel.
Our Dark Hazelnut Gianduja 34% is ideal for signature bars and soft candy centers. The Light Hazelnut Paste 39% is the cocoa-free alternative for recipes where hazelnut should stand alone.
3Dark chocolates
The Valrhona dark chocolates cover the full range, from balanced 60% to distinctive 72%. Single origin grands crus (Manjari Madagascar, Araguani Venezuela, Alpaco Ecuador) for distinctive profiles, blends (Guanaja 70%, Caraïbe 66%) for versatility. 250g format to start, 3kg for regular production.
4Milk chocolates
The Valrhona milk chocolates range from the classic Jivara 40% (malty and vanilla notes) to distinctive profiles: Caramelia 36% (salted butter caramel), Azelia 35% (intense hazelnut), Sioka 56% (pure origin Ivory Coast, browned butter).
Signature combo: Jivara + Almond Hazelnut Praline = base of the universal praline ganache for macarons, filled candies, and tartlets.
5White and blond chocolates
The Valrhona white chocolates go beyond the classic. Ivoire 35% is the universal reference. Dulcey 35%, the blond created by Frédéric Bau in 2012, offers unique notes of toasted shortbread and caramel. Opalys 33% reveals the nobility of milk without excess sugar. Amatika White 35% is the AVF-certified vegan version.
6Inspirations - Fruit coatings
The Valrhona Inspiration fruit coatings replace cocoa with fruit powder. Composition: cocoa butter + sugar + fruit, without artificial coloring or flavoring. 100% natural fruit color and taste. Work like white chocolate, ideal for fruity desserts, whipped ganaches, and brightly colored candies.
7Sticks and chips for bakery
The Valrhona sticks and chips are designed to withstand baking. Sticks: for chocolate croissants (2 per piece), babkas, puff pastries. Calibrated chips: for cookies, muffins, chip brioche. They hold their shape at 180-200°C without collapsing or melting.
8Pure Valrhona ingredients
The pure Valrhona ingredients are the technical foundations of professional chocolate making: cocoa butter for tempering (1% of the chocolate weight) or high-temperature cooking, 100% cocoa powder for biscuits and dusting, nibs as roasted bean pieces for crunchy decoration, 100% cocoa paste to intensify ganaches or create your own coatings.
9Dosage table
Reference ratios for main chocolate + praline preparations in professional pastry.
| Preparation | Chocolate | Praline | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Praline ganache | 500g Jivara milk chocolate | 200g praline | + 1L cream |
| Praline crunch | 100g melted chocolate | 200g praline | + 100g crushed gavottes |
| Entremet insert | 100g 70% dark chocolate | 200g praline | + 50g feuilletine |
| Praline mousse | 200g Jivara milk chocolate | 150g praline | 1 standard entremet |
| Filled macarons (24) | 200g Jivara milk chocolate | 80g praline | Rest 24h in the fridge |
| Filled chocolates (40) | 500g couverture | 250g praline | + 50g cream |
| Praline ice cream (1 L) | 0 | 150g praline | + 30g cocoa powder |
Golden rule: the more intense the praline, the sweeter the chocolate should be. Conversely, a delicate praline can handle a more characterful dark chocolate.
10Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between praline and gianduja?
Praline: paste made of at least 50% nuts + caramelized sugar. No cocoa in the base. Gianduja: Italian paste made of chocolate (cocoa) + ground hazelnuts + sugar, conched for a smooth texture. Praline is used as inserts in entremets and macaron fillings; gianduja in signature bars and molded chocolates.
Why choose Valrhona for praline?
Selection of the best varieties of nuts (Spanish almonds, Piedmont IGP hazelnuts), controlled roasting and caramelization in a copper kettle, reproducible aromatic profile batch after batch. The extra cost is justified by consistency and the final result, especially noticeable in demanding pastry shops.
How to thin a praline that is too thick?
Three solutions: gently warm in a bain-marie or 30 seconds in the microwave; add 5 to 10g of Valrhona cocoa butter per 100g of praline for long-lasting fluidity; mix with hot ganache to get a fluid praline ganache ready to use.
Allergens: who is praline suitable for?
Praline always contains nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, or both). Avoid if allergic to nuts. For retail sales, always clearly indicate the presence of allergens. Check product sheets for possible traces (milk, soy, gluten).
How to pair chocolates and pralines?
Validated classic combinations: almond-hazelnut praline + 70% dark chocolate (the universal base), almond-hazelnut praline + Jivara milk chocolate (a sweet and indulgent combo), pistachio praline + white chocolate (Mediterranean and original), gianduja + 70% dark chocolate (intense bars). Golden rule: balance the intensity of the praline with the sweetness of the chocolate.
To go further
Explore the complete Valrhona collection, the candy melts and baking chocolates, or our pastry decorations to finish your creations.
