Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache Truffles

These decadent hazelnut chocolate ganache truffles are creamy and rich with great texture from toasted and chopped hazelnuts.

They are so easy to make and can make a perfect edible gift idea!

Jump to:

• The details
• The ingredients
• Substitutions or alterations
• Equipment
• How to make chocolate truffles
• Storing dark chocolate truffles
• Chocolate truffles as gifts or wedding favors
• Ganache problems
• Full Recipe

The details

The truffles are made of a ganache base that consists of good quality dark chocolate, heavy cream, chopped hazelnuts, and some chocolate hazelnut spread.

The chocolate hazelnut spread is optional, and it can be left out but it brings extra hazelnut flavor to the truffles and it makes them resemble homemade Ferrero Rocher truffles.

Here is a recipe for a chocolate hazelnut spread, aka homemade Nutella (without palm oil) that can be used in the truffles, or to enjoy in many other ways!

The ganache is rolled around a single whole hazelnut to form the truffles, then they are coated in chopped hazelnuts. They can be left like that, or finished off by being coated in extra chocolate.

The ingredients

For the hazelnut chocolate ganache truffles, you will need -

• Good quality dark chocolate with around 55-65% cocoa solids.
• Heavy cream
• Chocolate hazelnut spread (optional)
• Hazelnuts - Toasted, both chopped and whole
• Extra chocolate for dipping

Find the amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Substitutions or alterations

The chocolate hazelnut spread can be left out without changing any of the other ingredient amounts.

This ganache uses a ratio of 2:1 which means 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream. This provides a thick enough ganache that can easily be rolled when set. The addition of the chocolate spread softens this ever so slightly, but not enough for the need to change the ratios if leaving it out.

Vegan truffles - If you want to make these chocolate truffles vegan, use vegan dark chocolate and substitute the heavy cream for coconut cream and omit the hazelnut chocolate spread (unless that's vegan too!)

Equipment

The truffles can be made using a double boiler (by placing the bowl of cream and chocolate over a pan of simmering water), or by using a microwave.

A candy thermometer to temper the chocolate

How to make chocolate truffles

Arrange the hazelnuts on a roasting tray and roast for 10-12 minutes until hot.

Remove them from the oven and set aside 20-25 whole hazelnuts. Finely chop the remaining hazelnuts in a food processor or by hand.

The ganache - microwave method

Finely chop the dark chocolate. The smaller you chop it, the easier it will be to melt. Add it to a heat-proof bowl alongside the cream.

Heat it in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each time until it becomes a cohesive and smooth mixture.

The ganache - hot-water bath method

Finely chop the chocolate and add it to a heat-proof bowl alongside the cream.

Fill a saucepan with a couple of inches of water and bring to a simmer. Balance the bowl of chocolate and cream overtop. Let the cream heat up and the chocolate melt, stirring occasionally until it's all melted and combined.

Gently stir in the chocolate hazelnut spread if using. Stir in some of the chopped hazelnuts.

Pour the ganache into a flat dish and place it in the refrigerator to cool. The flat dish will allow the ganache to cool and firm up faster.

Leave it to chill for around 3 hours. At this stage, it should be firm enough to begin rolling.

Rolling the truffles

Use a teaspoon to scoop small amounts of ganache. Take a whole hazelnut and place it in the middle of the ganache and form the ganache around it. Roll it into a ball in your hands.

Work quickly as the warmth of your hands will cause the ganache to melt. If it warms too much, place it back in the fridge.

Roll each truffle in the chopped hazelnuts and set them aside on a plate.

Dipping in chocolate

Once they are coated in hazelnuts they can be coated again melted chocolate. This gives them a chocolate shell to bite through which is a lovely contrast to the creamy truffle interior.

This gives them a chocolate shell to bite through which is a lovely contrast to the creamy truffle interior. Tempering chocolate takes a little more care but the result gives a better snap and shine to the chocolate.

Hot water bath tempering

1. Melt ⅔ of the chocolate using a hot water bath. Test the temperature with a candy thermometer. It needs to be at around 122°F (50°C).
2. Stir in the remaining chocolate until it melts and brings the temperature down to around 82°F/27°C.
3. Place the bowl back over the hot water bath until it reaches 90°F (32°C). Don't let it exceed this temperature. It is now ready to work with.

Microwave tempering

1. In a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate on high for 30 seconds. Stir.
2. Heat it again for 30 seconds and stir. 
3. Heat it for 20 seconds and stir, measuring with a thermometer to ensure the temperature does not exceed 90°F/32°C. 
4. Keep heating it for 5 seconds at a time until it’s fully melted, but ensure it never passes 90°F/32°C.
5. Once all melted it’s ready to use.

Use two forks to dip the truffles into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off the truffles, and gently tap the fork+truffle on the side of the bowl to shake off the excess. Place the finished truffles on parchment paper to dry.

Sprinkle over any leftover chopped hazelnuts for decoration.

Storing dark chocolate truffles

Dark chocolate truffles are best stored in a dry place at room temperature, as long as your room doesn't get too hot. A temperature of 65°F/18°C and under is best.

If your room gets much warmer than this, then store them in the fridge.

When dipped in melted chocolate, the truffles can store at room temperature for up to a week. Truffles coated in chopped nuts they are best eaten within 4 days.

Store truffles in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate truffles as gifts or wedding favors

Chocolate truffles make great edible gifts. Make the ganache in advance and freeze for up to 3 months.

Let it defrost at room temperature and once it has softened, scoop, roll and coat the truffles.

Once rolled, eat within 3-4 days.

Ganache problems

Sometimes ganache can split, become really greasy or grainy. This can happen if things overheat.

Aurelia from Philosophy of yum has a great post explaining all the reasons and fixes for this!