Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles
2 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, finely
chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup toasted, skinned finely ground hazelnuts
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1. Place 1 pound of chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart
saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream into a
bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute, then stir
together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly
blended.
2. Mix in 3/4 cup of the hazelnuts and blend well. Cover the truffle cream,
let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but
not stiff (2 to 3 hours). Or let the truffle cream sit at room temperature
for several hours or overnight until completely set and thick.
3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12-inch pastry
bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 1/2 inch opening and fill
partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the
paper, pipe out mounds about 1 inch in diameter. Or, use a small ice cream
scoop to form the mounds. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in
the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
4. Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the mounds into balls. These
will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers for another 2 hours
in the freezer.
5. Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to coolroom
temperature so the outer coating wont crack when they are dipped. Line 2
more baking sheets with parchment of waxed paper. Melt and temper the
remaining 1/2 pounds chocolate. Place a truffle into the tempered chocolate,
coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the
chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle
out onto the paper. After dipping 4 truffles, sprinkle a pinch of the
remaining hazelnuts on top of them, before the chocolate sets up.
6. Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the
refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set place them in
paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers
of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or
2 months in the freezer.
The truffles are best served at room temperature.
Yield: 60 1-inch truffles
Variations:
Instead of dipping the truffles in tempered chocolate, roll them in a small
bowl of cocoa powder, confectioners sugar, or finely chopped, toasted
hazelnuts as soon as they are rolled into balls. Any nuts can be substituted
for the hazelnuts, both inside and outside the truffles.
- White Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles: Substitute white chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate and use 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles: Substitute milk chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate and use 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Milk Chocolate Almond Truffles: Substitute milk chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate, use 1 cup heavy whipping cream, substitute finely
chopped almonds for the hazelnuts.
- Praline Truffles: Substitute finely ground praline for the hazelnuts.
2 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, finely
chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup toasted, skinned finely ground hazelnuts
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1. Place 1 pound of chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart
saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream into a
bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute, then stir
together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly
blended.
2. Mix in 3/4 cup of the hazelnuts and blend well. Cover the truffle cream,
let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but
not stiff (2 to 3 hours). Or let the truffle cream sit at room temperature
for several hours or overnight until completely set and thick.
3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12-inch pastry
bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 1/2 inch opening and fill
partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the
paper, pipe out mounds about 1 inch in diameter. Or, use a small ice cream
scoop to form the mounds. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in
the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
4. Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the mounds into balls. These
will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers for another 2 hours
in the freezer.
5. Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to coolroom
temperature so the outer coating wont crack when they are dipped. Line 2
more baking sheets with parchment of waxed paper. Melt and temper the
remaining 1/2 pounds chocolate. Place a truffle into the tempered chocolate,
coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the
chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle
out onto the paper. After dipping 4 truffles, sprinkle a pinch of the
remaining hazelnuts on top of them, before the chocolate sets up.
6. Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the
refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set place them in
paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers
of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or
2 months in the freezer.
The truffles are best served at room temperature.
Yield: 60 1-inch truffles
Variations:
Instead of dipping the truffles in tempered chocolate, roll them in a small
bowl of cocoa powder, confectioners sugar, or finely chopped, toasted
hazelnuts as soon as they are rolled into balls. Any nuts can be substituted
for the hazelnuts, both inside and outside the truffles.
- White Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles: Substitute white chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate and use 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles: Substitute milk chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate and use 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Milk Chocolate Almond Truffles: Substitute milk chocolate for the
bittersweet chocolate, use 1 cup heavy whipping cream, substitute finely
chopped almonds for the hazelnuts.
- Praline Truffles: Substitute finely ground praline for the hazelnuts.