Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread all 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes until fragrant and the skins are cracking. Wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much skin as possible. Separate 1 cup for filling and finely chop the remaining 1/2 cup for the outer coating.

2. Make the ganache by heating the coconut cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour it over the chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Mix in the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Refrigerate the ganache for 20 minutes until firm enough to scoop.

3. Press one whole roasted hazelnut into the center of a tablespoon-sized scoop of ganache. Roll it into a ball, making sure the hazelnut is fully enclosed. Repeat with all remaining ganache and hazelnuts.

4. Roll each truffle in the finely chopped hazelnuts, pressing gently so the pieces stick. For a finishing touch, dust lightly with cacao powder. Place on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm.

Why It Works

Store-bought chocolate hazelnut truffles typically contain refined sugar, palm oil, artificial vanilla, and soy lecithin. This version wraps whole roasted hazelnuts in a rich ganache made with real coconut cream and high-cacao dark chocolate, delivering genuine hazelnut and chocolate flavor without fillers. The toasted hazelnut coating adds a second layer of crunch and nuttiness. Dark chocolate is rich in flavanoids and magnesium, while hazelnuts provide vitamin E and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Tips

• Skin removal shortcut. If rubbing the skins off is tedious, buy blanched hazelnuts and toast them for 8 minutes instead.
• Uniform truffles. Use a small cookie scoop for consistent sizing. Chill the scoop in cold water between portions.
• Wafer shell option. For extra crunch, wrap each ganache ball in a thin piece of crushed wafer cookie before coating in chopped hazelnuts.
• Gift packaging. Place each truffle in a mini paper cup and arrange in a box for a homemade holiday gift.