Chocolate hazelnut truffles

Name: Chocolate hazelnut truffles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 22
Ingredients: Gianduia chocolate 9 oz; Fresh liquid cream 3 tbsp; Chopped hazelnuts ¾ cup; Whole peeled hazelnuts 22; Water 2 tbsp; Sugar 6 tbsp; Fresh liquid cream 4 tbsp; Gianduia chocolate 3 oz

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Makes: 22 pieces
Cost: Average
Note + cooling time

PRESENTATION

Chocolate hazelnut truffles are small gianduia chocolates with a caramelized hazelnut heart: deliciously irresistible treats. Have you ever tried making them at home? No need to bother the master chocolatiers, all you'll need are a few tips and some advice on how to create chocolates on a par with those from the most refined praline boutiques. All you'll need is a pretty tin to turn them into a delicious gift that will be very much appreciated.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for around 22 chocolates: Gianduia chocolate 9 oz (260 g); Fresh liquid cream 3 tbsp (40 g); Chopped hazelnuts ¾ cup (80 g); Whole peeled hazelnuts 22; Water 2 tbsp (30 g); Sugar 6 tbsp (70 g)

For the coating: Fresh liquid cream 4 tbsp (65 g); Gianduia chocolate 3 oz (105 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Chocolate hazelnut truffles

To make the chocolate hazelnut truffles, finely chop the gianduia chocolate 1, then heat the milk in a saucepan, add the chopped chocolate 2 and stir with a whisk 3 until fully dissolved,

to obtain a homogeneous sauce 4, which you can then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap 5. Leave it to cool to room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator to firm up, for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, caramelize the hazelnuts: place the water in a saucepan, add the granulated sugar 6 and heat on a low flame to dissolve the sugar,

monitor the temperature of the syrup with a food thermometer 7; when it reaches 240°F (115°C), remove from the flame and add the whole hazelnuts 8; stir to obtain a sandy consistency 9. Now place the pan back on the stove and fully dissolve the sugar on a low flame, until it becomes amber in color.

Place the caramelized hazelnuts on a tray lined with parchment paper, or on a silicon board 10, separate the hazelnuts to prevent them from sticking together as they cool. Now assemble the chocolates: take the hardened gianduia mixture, shape into balls around the size of a walnut, using a spoon or a corer. Shape a small cavity in the middle and add a caramelized hazelnut 11, then roll each piece into a ball to cover the center, place on a tray lined with parchment paper and leave in the refrigerator to harden, for 5 minutes. Take the gianduia balls and dip them in the chopped hazelnuts, to fully coat the surface 12.

Place them on the tray covered with a sheet of parchment paper 13 and store them in the refrigerator. Now prepare the coating: heat the milk 14 in a pan, then add the finely chopped gianduia chocolate 15 and stir with a whisk until fully dissolved; this time you'll need to obtain a smoother sauce. Place the coating sauce in a bowl.

Skewer the gianduia pieces with a wood skewer and dip them in the sauce to full coat them 16, then place the skewer on a polystyrene base 17, which will make it easier for the coating to dry. Place back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, for the coating to harden. Once this time is up, remove the skewers from the pralines and place them in paper cups 18: your delicious chocolate hazelnut truffles are ready to be enjoyed.