Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles
Chocolate truffles are one of my go to desserts for something that is elegant but simple. You definitely can't go wrong with them!
The flavor options are truly endless. I love trying new flavors paired with chocolate. I have been absolutely loving hazelnuts lately, and they are perfect in these truffles.
The crunchy candied hazelnuts are the perfect match for the creamy chocolate. These truffles are perfect with dark chocolate as the hazelnuts sweeten them and the instant coffee helps to enhance the rich chocolate flavor even more.
Enjoy these truffles with a cup of coffee!
Chocolate Truffle with Candied Hazelnut Recipe
Makes about 16 truffles
Ingredients
8 oz dark chocolate (I used 72%)
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup hazelnuts
Directions
First, making the truffle center. Begin by chopping up the chocolate into small pieces. Next, heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat. It should be steaming but not quite boiling. Next, stir in the instant coffee and make sure it dissolves completely. Once the coffee has dissolved, add the vanilla extract and pour the cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Stir this mixture until it is smooth. Once it is incorporated, the hot cream should have melted all the chocolate, resulting in a shiny mixture that is completely combined. Place this mixture in the refrigerator or freezer to cool and harden. I have found that it takes about an hour in the freezer for the truffles to harden. If you want to speed this process up, you can place your truffles into a different container that is not hot, and it will cool off much faster. While you wait for the truffles to cool, begin making the candied hazelnuts.
To make the candied hazelnuts, chop the hazelnuts using a food processor until coarsely chopped. In a frying pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt to the butter. The sugar should begin to dissolve. Add the chopped hazelnuts and continue cooking. The sugar should completely melt and cover the hazelnuts. Stir this mixture frequently; it can quickly go from being perfect to being burnt. Once the sugar has caramelized, spread the candied hazelnuts onto a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper, lined with a silpad, or greased with butter. After the hazelnuts have cooled, you may need to pop them back into the food processor so that they are small enough to coat your truffles. Once your truffle filling has hardened, you can begin scooping the truffles. You can use a small cookie dough scoop, a melon baller, or even a round tablespoon to do this. After you scoop each truffle, roll it in the hazelnuts, pressing it gently so that the hazelnuts stick to the chocolate and the truffle is rounded into a sphere.
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