Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles (Creamy Filling)
Print RecipeWith a homemade dark chocolate coating and a creamy filling, these Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles are a delectable dessert that's perfect for Valentine's Day, date night, Mother's Day and tea parties.
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- High Speed Blender
- Double Boiler
- Oven
- Silicone Chocolate Moulds (or Candy Moulds)
- Piping Bag (or Small Spoon and Spatula)
- 9 x 13 Baking Sheet (or Roasting Dish)
Ingredients
Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
- 1.5 cups Raw Hazelnuts (Unsalted)
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- ½ cup Pure Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Cacao Powder
- 75 grams Cacao Butter (¼ cup melted)
- 1 tablespoon Unrefined Coconut Oil
- 2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Himalayan Salt (or other Natural Mineral Salt)
Chocolate Coating
- 100 g Cacao butter (½ cup melted)
- ¼ cup Cacao Powder
- 3 tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.Spread the raw hazelnuts evenly on a baking sheet or in a roasting dish, making sure not to overcrowd them. A 9" x 13" baking sheet is big enough for a single batch of this recipe. Then, place the hazelnuts in the oven roast for 15 - 20 minutes or until they begin to brown.
- Once the hazelnuts are roasted, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before handling. Don't cool them completely if your hazelnuts still have the skin intact. It is much easier to remove the skin while they are still warm.To remove the hazelnut skins, place the roasted hazelnuts in a clean cloth (while still warm) and vigorously rub them together. Some bits of skin will remain, and that's okay! If you're using pre-skinned hazelnuts, skip this part of the step.Once you're satisfied with your de-skinned hazelnuts, set them aside.
- In a double boiler, melt the cacao butter and coconut oil over low heat. Again, if you do not have a double boiler, you can carefully and slowly melt it in a small pot over very low heat. Once melted, immediately remove the cacao butter and coconut oil from the heat.
- Place the roasted and de-skinned hazelnuts in a high-speed blender with the melted cacao butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla extract, cacao powder and Himalayan salt. Blend it all together until it turns into a smooth cream (you may need to scrape the sides down a few times).Scoop your filling into a glass container and place it in the fridge until you're ready to use. You want it to be chilled so it doesn't melt the bottom layer of chocolate.I should note that you will have much more chocolate hazelnut filling than needed for a single batch of these truffles. So, you can either make additional batches of the outer coating to make more truffles or use the remaining filling as a yummy chocolate hazelnut spread! It's like a healthy version of Nutella.
Chocolate Coating
- First, melt the cacao butter in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, you can carefully and slowly melt it in a small pot over very low heat. Whether using a double boiler or not, make sure to keep a close eye on it to avoid burning. Overheating can create a bitter flavour and destroy beneficial nutrients.Once the cacao butter is melted, immediately remove it from the heat.Next, stir in the cacao powder and maple syrup and mix until well combined. At this point, it should resemble melted chocolate.
- Using half of the melted chocolate coating, pour a thin layer into the candy or chocolate moulds to coat the bottom. This will be the bottom of the chocolate truffles. So, make sure to leave room in the moulds for the hazelnut filling and the top layer of the chocolate coating.Place the candy mould into the freezer to let the bottom half of the truffles set. They will need at least 1 hour to harden.
Truffles
- Once the bottom layer of your truffles have hardened, remove them from the freezer.If using a piping bag, place a few scoops of the chilled hazelnut filling into the bag and squeeze a little dollop into each mould on top of the hardened chocolate. If you don't have a piping bag, you can carefully use a spoon and small spatula to drop the hazelnut filling in each mould. You can also use parchment paper as a homemade piping bag. I found this video helpful to learn how.Once each chocolate truffle bottom has a dollop of filling, return the mould tray to the freezer while you re-melt the remaining chocolate.
- Once the remaining half of the chocolate coating has been remelted, remove the moulds from the freezer. Pour the melted chocolate into each mould, covering the hazelnut filling. Make sure to pour enough to fill up the moulds and completely cover the chocolate hazelnut filling.
- Place the moulds back into the freezer to let the top layer of chocolate set. Again, at least one hour should do it. However, if you've made larger truffles, they could take up to 4 hours.
- Once the truffles have hardened, very carefully press the bottom of each mould and pop out each truffle.It's best to store these Chocolate Hazelnut truffles in the fridge or freezer to avoid melting. If you store them in the freezer, they will last up to 6 months.
Notes
Use cacao paste or unsweetened baker's chocolate instead of cacao butter and powder to make the chocolate coating. You will still need to add the pure maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Use chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate instead of making a homemade dark chocolate coating. All you will have to do is melt it. Do not add the maple syrup, as it will already be sweetened. You can still add the pure vanilla extract for a delicious, uplifting touch.
Raw honey can be used instead of pure maple syrup. Since it is thicker, I find it easiest to melt it with the cacao butter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Truffle | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?I’d love to know what you think! Leave a rating and comment to share how it turned out.