A crisp chocolate shell filled with creamy manjar blanco and a crunchy almond at the center. A coastal Peruvian classic: small, neat, and dangerously snackable. The key is thin layers and smooth, glossy chocolate.
Make sure the almonds are dry and whole. Mix the manjar blanco with the salt and transfer it to a piping bag; it should be creamy, but firm enough not to run.
Melt two thirds of the couverture chocolate with the cocoa butter to 45 °C. Stir gently and steadily; do not let water get in, because the chocolate will seize and the drama begins.
Add the remaining chopped chocolate and stir until it drops to 31–32 °C. It should be glossy, fluid, and smooth; that point gives a firm, non-greasy shell.
Fill the molds with chocolate, tap gently to release bubbles, and turn them over to remove the excess. Scrape the surface and refrigerate for
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Fill each cavity with manjar blanco just below the rim and place one almond in the center. Do not overfill: the chocoteja needs room to close without erupting like a manjar volcano.
Cover with more tempered chocolate, level with a spatula, and refrigerate for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pieces are firm. The base should be sealed and smooth.
Unmold carefully and let the chocotejas rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before serving or wrapping. They should come out glossy, firm, and with a thin shell that snaps cleanly.
