Chocolate Truffles with Hazelnuts and Coffee

hazeltrufflespLast days have been particularly cold and all I crave are soups and chocolate treats. Truffles are among the easiest chocolate snacks I know. The possibilities are endless, the process is very easy, so it’s not difficult to invent at least one new version every year. My usual basis is ganache (a mixture of chocolate and cream, though some people add also butter) which, cooled, is already enough to form truffles, but I often also add nuts, puffed grains or dried fruits as the binding agents for a more filling, richer, more homely result.

These were particularly simple. Coffee was actually a very pleasant addition to hazelnuts and if I had coffee or hazelnut liqueur, I am sure it would make these truffles even better and more complex. I have made two batches: one with dark chocolate and one with milk chocolate. For the first time on this blog (and I think in my whole life) I must admit that milk chocolate was a better choice. Actually, it pairs better with hazelnuts (in fact it paired so well, I ate these truffles too quickly to take photographs… what you see above is obviously the dark chocolate batch).

These truffles are more filling and I would say rustic compared to the 100% ganache truffles (such as these Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles). They are however a bit easier to form and, like all the truffles, apart from being an excellent tea snack, they are also might be a good idea for a small present. Their taste improves with time (especially if you use alcohol), so it’s good to prepare them one day ahead.

In case you don’t like hazelnuts, but feel like playing with truffles, here are some other suggestions:

Bounty (Coconut, Chocolate and Rum) Truffles
Bounty (Coconut, Chocolate and Rum) Truffles
Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles
Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles

 

Matcha and Oat Truffles
Matcha and Oat Truffles

 

Leftover Cake/Cookie Truffles
Leftover Cake/Cookie Truffles

TIPS:

During the chocolate melting process, keep a very low heat, stir constantly and do not let it boil.

While forming the truffles, make sure your hands are not too warm, running cold water on them from time to time and rolling the truffles between your fingers and not on the palm of your hand (which is warmer).

The truffles should be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part of the fridge), so make sure you say it while offering a box.

Preparation: about 30 min + 3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (yields about 16 walnut-sized truffles):

100 g/about 3,5 oz good quality chocolate (dark or milk chocolate)

100 ml/about 3/4 cup liquid cream (I have used 25% fat cream)

1 tablespoon instant coffee (or a small – 50 ml espresso; if using espresso, add 50 ml less cream)

100 g/about 1 cup chopped hazelnuts + several heaped tablespoons ground hazelnuts for coating

(coffee liqueur)

Bring the cream to a boil.

Put aside.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and add to the hot cream together with the coffee and liqueur, if using.

Stir constantly until you obtain a smooth texture.

Add the chopped hazelnuts and stir well.

Put the mixture to the fridge for about 3 hours until the mixture is dense enough to be handled.

Quickly form truffles (I have made walnut sized balls) with cold hands.

Put the ground hazelnuts into a deep bowl.

Dust the inside of your hands with some ground hazelnuts, quickly form a truffle (try using only the fingers  because the palm of your hand is always much warmer), put it into a bowl with ground hazelnuts  and, moving the bowl, coat the truffle thoroughly.

Repeat the same with each truffle.

Place the truffles on a plate or in paper cases and refrigerate a couple of hours before serving or before offering them.

The truffles should always be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part, but the fridge is obligatory).

26 Replies to “Chocolate Truffles with Hazelnuts and Coffee”

  1. It’s the perfect time of year to review the basic technique for making truffles and then add whatever flavour combinations are most appealing. I must try the Bounty version one day as coconut, rum and chocolate are among my favourite flavours.

  2. The past few days here it’s actually been surprisingly “warm”… well, it was 6 degrees C at one point, which seems very warm indeed when it was -16 at some point!

    I think I’m the exact opposite – despite the cold, I crave salads and crunch so badly. I’ve eaten root vegetables until they’re coming out of my ears and I need a break, but I definitely wouldn’t shun some little sweet bites! Truffles will have to be on my Christmas preparation list for next year – I have no time or space to do them this year alas, but they look very good Sissi, and thank you for rounding up some of your other delicate creations from previous years!

    1. Hi, Charles. The – 16°C reminds me of some other European countries… luckily I have never ever experienced it here (and never will). I think I’m made to live in hot climate. I prefer even Japanese humidity rather than winter… but many people prefer colder temperatures. Your son must be happy with snow during the whole winter.
      I envy you… salads are healthier than one soup after another… (but I don’t have root vegetables often; they bore me quite quickly). The only raw stuff I crave are mandarins 🙂 Thank you for the compliments.

  3. Your selection of truffles are beautiful Sissi, I’m sure your guests will appreciate the festive treats you kindly offer.
    Thank you for dropping by my blog with your wonderfully generous words regarding my new career path, I really do appreciate it very much. I have finished my Christmas baking and will be putting together my gift bags later today. Right now I’m procrastinating to shovel the side-walk and drive-way! It’s been snowing quite heavily since this morning and I suspect we will accumulate more than the 2-5cm of snow they predicted. I also suspect we’ll have to shovel more than once to keep up with it. But right now, I’m sitting at my desk, peaking out the window at the winter wonderland that is upon us. I was really hoping to get this snow fall closer to Christmas and then have it melt and return to 10°C for the remainder of the winter, but that clearly isn’t going to happen. 😉

    1. Thank you so much, Eva. No guests this year! (I hope I won’t eat too much because I cannot buy half of foie gras for example 😉 ). I follow your career with a big attention and cross my fingers you like every single moment of it. I haven’t seen snow yet, but it rarely snows in my city. All this shoveling gives you the right to have more sweet treats I suppose 😉

  4. I’ll take half dozen of each haha! There is nothing more festival than truffles! I normally buy them around this time but I might consider making my own for once. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Heeheeh, love the story about the milk chocolate! I better stay away, because I too would devour quickly. I find dark chocolate puts a bit of a stop mechanism on that for me ;-). So I have to try a real ganache truffle — I generally find chocolate rich enough that I don’t tend to add cream but would like to try just once to see the difference in texture – I bet it’s wonderfully creamy. The addition of coffee in this batch sounds delightful to me — I’ve never added coffee to my chocolate concoctions but I can’t imagine why not…my husband and I would both love it and the kids would hate it. A win/win!! Haha :).

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. I always have dark chocolate (my favourite!) and I also agree that a piece of it calms one’s sweet food cravings. I must say I simply don’t like milk chocolate but here… it was just irresistible! Ganache makes the truffles soft so irresistible and when one thinks about it, cream makes actually the whole thing lighter in terms of kcal and fat! I always add a bit of coffee to most chocolate/cocoa sweets. I think it always improves the taste. You can add just a bit and no one would notice its presence (a bit like anchovies in sauces…).

  6. Truffles are one of my favourite form of chocolate! At least you resisted your temptation to have the dark chocolate batch also! Otherwise you wouldn’t have any to take a photograph of. I can totally relate to that. 🙂

    1. Hi, Sue. I’m glad you are a fan of truffles too (but frankly, who isn’t? there is only a question “which truffles?”).

  7. TRUFFLES! Now you know Christmas is really here! I swear they started blasting Christmas music all the way in September… crazy shops. Love the flavour combination in this one, classic, and I’ve often enjoyed this in cake form. Truffle form is next up!

  8. Hi Sissi, you are certainly out-shine any professional ‘truffle makers’ in your unique and most awesome, delicious selection of truffles…my favorite of course, is the Bounty truffle; loaded with coconut, rum, and covered with chocolate…yumm; sinfully good! Such a perfect holiday treat!

    1. Hi, Elisabeth. You are so sweet, but I know my truffles are very “homely”… Thank you for the compliments!

  9. Ah, they are look like come from store. You do everything so well, photos styling and recipe.

    I appropriate your kind comment on my blog. Have a wonderful holidays!

    1. Dear Nipponnin, thank you for all the kind compliments. You are so kind… (And thank you once more for trusting my tomato recipe!). Have wonderful holidays too.

  10. Sissi, all of your truffles look professionally made. I think one of each in a little gift box would keep me happy well into the new year. I know you think the truffles with hazelnuts and coffee should be made with milk chocolate. I’m a dark chocolate girl myself…maybe not as good as milk but I’ve never had a dark chocolate that I haven’t liked. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Karen. To be frank I haven’t bought milk chocolate for myself for at least twenty years (dark chocolate is by far my favourite). I bought this one just as an experiment and it was a huge surprise! You should try both with hazelnuts (the only ingredient I find better with milk chocolate).

  11. You have a quite collection of homemade treats! Truffles are good, really good to receive as a gift (I grantee they won’t last for more than 2 days in my house). Now that my kids are eating chocolate (we’re letting them eat sweets more than before), I always have a competitor. Love this combination of truffles. I always love hazelnuts (good choice!). I can easily put 2 lbs eating these for 2 days. 🙂

    1. Thanks a lot, Nami. I feel I could eat truffles all year long… especially since there are endless possibilities of ingredients.

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