Hazelnut Praline Truffles Recipes

HAZELNUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. (If the hazelnuts have skin on them, roast them for 25 minutes.) Set aside to cool.
• Chop the chocolates finely and place in a bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it boils. Immediately pour the hot cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with the chocolates. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. (If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for a few minutes just until it melts.) Whisk in the hazelnut liqueur, coffee, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour until pliable but firm enough to scoop.
• With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres. Roll the chocolate in the chopped hazelnuts and chill again. Truffles are best when they're allowed to set overnight in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; set aside. , In a small saucepan, melt candy bars and butter. Add cream and reserved cocoa mixture. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and smooth. Pour into an 8-in. square dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Using a melon baller or spoon, shape candy into 1-in. balls; press a hazelnut into each. Reshape balls and roll in ground hazelnuts. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

HAZELNUT PRALINE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• PRALINE:.
• Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with the vegetable oil and set aside.
• Combine the sugar and water in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over high heat until the mixture begins to turn a light caramel colour (about 8 minutes).
• Brush down the sides of the pans two times with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
• When the mixture becomes caramel coloured, quickly stir in the toasted hazelnuts with a wooden spoon, coating them completely with the caramel.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and immediately turn the hazelnut mixture into the oiled cake pan and let it cool completely (about 30 minutes).
• Break the praline into pieces and pulverize to a powder in a food processor.
• TRUFFLES:.
• Place 1 pound of the chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for one minute, then whisk until thoroughly blended.
• Mix in 3/4 of the hazelnut praline mixture and blend well.
• Cover and let cool to room temp and chill for 2-3 hours.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Use a piping bag to pipe out 60 1-inch mounds.
• Cover and let chill in freezer for 2 hours.
• Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the mounds into balls (these will be the truffle centers) and let chill for another 2 hours in the freezer.
• Remove truffles from the freezer and bring to cool- room temperature so the outer coating won't crack when they are dipped.
• Line 2 more baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Melt and temper the remaining 1 1/2 pounds chocolate.
• Put a truffle centre into the chocolate, coat completely, remove with a fork, and place on the pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining praline on the top of the truffles before the chocolate sets.
• ENJOY!