(raw vegan, gluten free)
Some tweeting about Nutella last week helped to put the chocolate bug in my (un)cooking bonnet. It was that time again for something sweet, something rich and chocolatey. What could be better than that something tasting like a healthy version of Nutella? Well, that was the idea anyway. These dense, decadent truffles turned out to be more like Nutella’s intensely sophisticated cousin.
A little raw cacao goes a very long way, even in a household of chocoholics and sweets addicts. As a matter of fact, if a confectioner’s biggest fan can happily sweep through a dozen Godiva truffles in one sitting without flinching, I guarantee one of these extra strength, unrefined counterparts can stop them at just one. Maybe two, but not without taking a breather to seriously ponder what they just ate. This chocolate, the REAL chocolate, tickles those little pleasure receptors in the brain in ways their boutique buddies just can’t reach. Oooooooh. Sounds kinky.
This recipe makes approximately 2 dozen truffles.
The Black:
1 cup cacao nibs
1/4 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 scraped vanilla bean
pinch of sea salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
3 tbs hazelnut flour
Combine all ingredients in a food processor, except for the hazelnut flour, until very smooth. Sprinkle in hazelnut flour and process again until mixture is well blended and thickened. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
If all this talk of raw chocolate intensity is a little intimidating, enter the yin to the yang: the hazelnut butter. It’s nutty, sweet, creamy balance is chocolate’s perfect compliment, and tapers off its vigor on the tongue.
The White:
1 cup of hazelnuts soaked overnight for 10-12 hours
(preserve 1/2 cup hazelnuts for butter, 1/2 cup for rolling)
2 tbs coconut butter
2 tbs agave nectar
1 tbs vanilla maple syrup (or 1 tbs maple + 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1/4 tsp sea salt
cold water, as needed for thinning
In a food processor, blend 1/2 cup hazelnuts with all ingredients except for the water. You may have to stop intermittently to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to blend well to achieve as fine of a crumble as possible. Begin to trickle in water, very conservatively, to help smooth the hazelnut butter. Be careful to not water this down. You want to achieve a mixture that is as smooth as possible, but still thick. The butter will not yield perfectly smooth results, as can be easily done with cashews. Transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the crumbs. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of hazelnuts, a light drizzle of agave, and a pinch of sea salt to a processor and blitz. Spread on teflex lined dehydrator trays and deydrate for 1-2 hours at 100 degrees until dry and crunchy.
Only once these little balls of lusciousness are rounded out and coated in cocoa powder and bits of hazelnuts do they become a complete package. When you bite into one, there’s an initial subtle crunch, followed by the slightly bitter tinge of cocoa powder. Creamy, lightly sweet dark chocolate breaks through and begins to dance with creamy nuttiness in the background. The finish and aftertaste melt away as a soft, buttery lingering on the tongue.
Truffle Construction:
Have each ingredient in a separate bowl. Your hands WILL get messy, but that’s part of the fun.
1/2 cup processed and dehydrated hazelnuts
1/4 cup cocoa powder
“black” – truffle chocolate
“white” – hazelnut butter
For scooping chocolate and hazelnut butter: 2 melon ballers or teaspoons
Begin by scooping a dime-sized amount of hazelnut butter and gently form into a ball. Then scoop a quarter to half dollar coin-sized ball of chocolate into your hand, and press out gently to slightly flatten and form a cup-like indentation in the middle. Put the hazelnut ball in the middle, and simultaneously fold the chocolate in to seal while working into a ball with your palms. Don’t worry that the hazelnut ball isn’t perfectly sealed within and will actually resemble something like the yin and yang symbol. Drop the ball gently into the cocoa powder and roll to coat. Finally, drop it into the hazelnut crumbs and gently press them onto the truffle to stick without compromising the shape. Work at a moderate pace so that the chocolate doesn’t get too soft and sticky. Place into a sealable container in a single layer, as they’ll need to go into the refrigerator to firm and for storage.
These should last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I plan to make a batch of these and mix them with some other truffle creations for holiday gifts and treats. They’re fun and easy to make, but look like you bought them from your neighborhood chocolatier.
<3, JMK
