Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This confection is private stock, served only to BFF's or shared with my daughters as we sip pear brandy and talk late into the night. While not quite as good as the Ferrero Rocher chocolates after which they're patterned, I must say, with all due modesty and a drum roll or two, that these are PDG. They are also embarrassingly easy to assemble and for that reason I make them throughout the year. The truffles take about 30 minutes to prepare, but the chocolate mixture used to form them must be chilled before they can be shaped, so, despite ease of preparation, you'll have to build wait time into your game plan. I found the recipe on the Taste of Home website several years ago and I've made no changes to it, save for altering the time the chocolate must be refrigerated. I've found that the overnight chill suggested in the recipe produces an unworkable mass that must sit for an hour before the truffles can be shaped. A three hour chill is all that's really need. I am currently using milk chocolate candy bars to make these, but come the first of the year I want to make these using Nutella. I like the thought of triple hazelnut truffles. I hope you'll give these a try. They really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Debra Pedrazzi and Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
4 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55-oz. each)
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
24 whole hazelnuts
1 cup very finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; set aside. In a saucepan, melt candy bars and butter. Add the 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 for about 3 hours or overnight.
2) 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 refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Easy and Festive Peppermint Bark Candy - Sugar and Spice
Candy Cane Fudge - What's Cookin Chicago?
Dark Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Cups - Verses from My Kitchen
Honey Cream Caramels - Eat Good 4 Life
Peanut Butter Fudge - Brown Eyed Baker
Chocolate Covered Toffee - Petit Foodie
Rocky Road Fudge Candy - Baking and Boys
Easy Chocolate Turtles - Culinary Cory

White Chocolate Truffles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These truffles have been on my "must try" list for ages. I've had no time to test them, so the recipe sat in a folder where it was beginning to yellow with age. I finally got to them last night and I'm delighted to tell you they are fabulous. I'm not an experienced candy maker. Fudge made with marshmallow cream has been my only other excursion into the realm of candy making. I can now add truffles to my list. These are really easy to make and I hope, with a bit more practice, I'll be able to make them as pretty as they are delicious. They should be served cold. If you're fond of white chocolate, you'll love these.

White Chocolate Truffles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 tablespoons heavy cream, divided use
12-ounces good quality white chocolate chips, divided use
1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Directions:
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) Place butter and 5 tablespoons cream in a 1-quart saucepan; slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Add 8-ounces of chocolate chips to cream. Stir until melted. Stir in orange liqueur.
3) Pour mixture onto prepared pan and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
4) Use a knife to score chocolate into 20 approximately equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball. If mixture becomes too sticky to roll, chill for a few minutes before proceeding. Transfer balls to freezer for 1 hour.
5) Melt reserved 4-ounces of white chocolate with 2 tablespoons cream. Dip balls in melted chocolate. Place on nonstick paper and quickly swirl top with a fork. Let harden. Serve cold. Yield: 20 truffles.