Well don't we have a real treat for you this week, something a little bit special for Christmas. These homemade Ferrero Rocher are just as tasty as the real thing, but at the same time they are a much healthier option. This way you can have a tasty treat this Christmas and not feel so guilty about it.
In our recipe we have used hazelnuts, but of course you can use different nuts, I think cashews would be a nice alternative. These will need a little care and attention to make, and they can be a little fiddly getting the nut in the center when making the ball. But they really are worth it, so be patient and take it slow.
INGREDIENTS
150g dark chocolate (70% cacao)
150ml full fat coconut milk*
60ml maple syrup
1-2tsp instant coffee (or a generous pinch of fine sea salt) to reinforce the chocolate flavour
180ml natural smooth hazelnut butter (I make my own)
150g roasted hazelnuts
a few drops of hazelnut extractor vanilla extract (optional) METHOD
Chop your chocolate roughly, and place in a glass bowl over a hot water bath and melt very slowly. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat, but keep the bowl over the hot water.
As the chocolate is melting, place the coconut milk in a small pot and warm it up a little bit. Dissolve the instant coffee in the warm milk. I went for 2 tsp of instant coffee to get a hint of coffee in the truffles. If you don’t want to taste coffee, go for 1 tsp instead – this will simply bring out the chocolate flavour more.
Slowly add the warm coconut milk coffee to the melted chocolate. If it seizes don’t worry, it happens sometimes but as we are essentially making a ganache here, that’s no problem. Just keep on adding milk and whisking at the same time. At some point the chocolate will return to its glossy and runny state.
Whisk in the maple syrup and finally the hazelnut butter. If you happen to have hazelnut (or vanilla extract), add a few drops (you could use both!),
Let the mixture come to room temperature and place in the fridge overnight to harden.
Before taking the mixture out of the fridge, put aside about 20 hazelnuts and chop the rest quite finely. Spread the chopped hazelnuts on a tray or clean baking sheet.
Scoop out a good portion of the mixture. Flatten each portion in the palm of your hand, place a hazelnut in the middle and then close the truffle mixture around the hazelnut. Quickly roll between the palms of your hands (it helps if your hands are cold) and then coat the truffle in the chopped hazelnuts. Proceed in the same way with the remaining ¾ of the mixture.
If you have enjoyed this recipe please share it with your friends via facebook, tiwtter or pinterest, or you can do it the old fashioned way and just tell them.
Thank you, and Bon Appetit