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1
Place the pruneaux d'Agen mi-cuits in a steamer basket over simmering water. Steam for 3 minutes. The prunes should feel pliable and yielding under light pressure; if any resist, return them for a further minute. Remove and allow to cool until handleable.
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2
Grind the blanched almonds to a fine, uniform powder. Combine with the sifted icing sugar, then work in the egg white and kirsch until the paste coheres into a smooth, firm mass that holds a clean edge when cut. The paste should smell distinctly of almond and kirsch rather than sugar alone; if it tastes predominantly sweet, it will not balance the prune's tannic depth.
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3
Hold each prune between thumb and forefinger. Using a small knife, make a single split along one side from end to end — never fully opening the prune. Ease the pit free with the tip of the knife. The prune must remain intact, hinged along the uncut side.
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4
Roll a small finger of almond paste — roughly the volume of the removed pit — and press it into the cavity of each prune. This is where the dish lives or dies: the filling must be sized so the prune closes back around it, leaving only a visible seam of pale paste at the split. Overfilling forces the prune open; underfilling leaves a hollow that collapses on presentation. Press the prune gently closed and set seam-side up.
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5
For the chocolate version: temper the 70% dark couverture. Holding each stuffed prune by the seam end, dip it halfway into the chocolate. Lift, allow the excess to fall, and set on parchment. The chocolate should set with a faint sheen and an audible snap when the sheet is flexed; a dull or tacky surface indicates insufficient tempering.
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6
Rest the finished pruneaux fourrés at room temperature before serving. They are presented whole — the discovery of the filling is intrinsic to the confection. Arrange on a silver tray as petits fours alongside coffee.