When you receive or give a gift you often say: “it’s the thought that counts”. However I think it’s an original idea to make a gift by hand. Whether it’s a wool scarf or a sweet, the special person who will receive it will appreciate it more. Don’t believe it? Try making these hazelnut chocolates and you will see how they will be tasted and appreciated by your loved ones!
Ingredients x 45 chocolates:
- 400 grams milk chocolate 30% cocoa
- 150 grams hazelnut paste
For the hazelnut paste:
- 150 grams shelled hazelnuts
- sunflower oil to taste
Method
Start by preparing the hazelnut paste. Toast the hazelnuts in a preheated oven at 150° for 10 minutes. Put them in a mixer and start blending. When you have obtained a coarse powder, start pouring a few teaspoons of oil. Continue to blend until you get a thick cream. Add the oil when necessary, do not exceed. Put in the fridge for about half an hour.
Chop the chocolate not too finely. Heat some water, put 270 grams of chocolate in a ceramic bowl and place on the bain-marie (away from the heat). Melt by stirring constantly. Measure the temperature with the thermometer (40° Celsius degrees). Remove from the bain-marie and add another 130 grams of chopped chocolate. Mix and let it melt. The temperature should reach 27° Celsius degrees. Then put the bowl back on the bain-marie and raise the temperature to 32° Celsius degrees. This procedure is used to temper chocolate. Remove the bowl and add the hazelnut paste. Mix again and pour melted chocolate into polycarbonate moulds with a piping bag. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Unmold and serve.