This recipe is a new take on truffles; not only are they easier to make, we think they taste nicer, too.
Ingredients
- 50g butter, plus extra for greasing
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- 150g skinned hazelnuts
- 90g plain flour
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 500g sweet plain chocolate, such as Bourneville, roughly chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 225ml double cream
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with a little butter. Dust all over with cocoa powder, knocking out the excess.
- 2. Whizz 100g of hazelnuts, the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until coarsely ground. Roughly chop the rest of the nuts and stir in. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add 150g of chocolate. Let it melt slightly, then whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Stir in the nut mixture until well combined. Spoon into the tin and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin.
- 3. To make the ganache (the posh word for the lush chocolate cream), put the rest of the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted and thickened. Spoon over the cold hazelnut base and spread out. Tap the tin on the counter surface to smooth evenly. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours. Cut into squares with a warmed knife, wiping the knife after each cut.
- 4. To assemble your gift: put in a box, tied with a ribbon. Keeps in fridge for up to a week.