Chocolate Truffles with Hazelnuts and Clementines

These lovely, luxurious chocolate truffles with hazelnuts are the perfect edible Christmas gift for your loved ones (or a nice treat for yourself). It is very easy to make them, they require just a handful of ingredients and you end up with the chocolate Christmassy bomb.

I think for many of us Christmas will be very different, this year. Nothing you could describe as a normal, or ordinal festive season. I had tickets to Lithuania booked, and I was counting down the days until the moment, when after 10 months apart, I would be able to hug and kiss my family. Sadly, as for many of us, I had to cancel my trip (3 days before my flight) and made the heart-breaking decision to stay in London.

Even though I know it was the right decision, I have to say, this week has been very difficult. The idea of not spending Christmas with my family has been upsetting. I love this season, traditions and family get-togethers. To be honest, I was excited about cooking with my mum for two days and eating everything in one go. I enjoy listening to the same old songs, Dad’s funny stories (which I heard 10 times or even more) and drinking mulled wine from 12 pm. Also, I even love arguing with my brother about when we should open our presents (he always wants to open them on Christmas Eve, while I keep saying we should wait until Christmas morning).

However, all these things are not going to happen this year. This year, I’ll create new traditions with my fussy eater (he is not going to enjoy the Christmas Eve menu which is basically onions, mushrooms and beetroots – all of his favourite ingredients). 

No matter what, you are going to do this year, Christmas isn’t cancelled. And even more than ever, we need to spread love and care for others. This is why I decided to make these amazing chocolate truffles and to leave them on our friends’ doorsteps. This is the perfect way to say, ‘you are not alone, and everything will be ok’. I know, I know, this might sound very sentimental but during this period of uncertainty we all need to feel loved.

Chocolate Truffles Swaps

To make these luxurious chocolate truffles, you will need just a handful of ingredients. Also, you can adapt this recipe with other ingredients you have in your kitchen cupboards:

1. Use any type of nuts you have – hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds (just don’t forget to remove any skin), or swap them for any dried fruits – raisins, cranberries, apricots.
2. You can skip the alcohol or swap it for whisky, brandy or any type of liquor (for example Baileys).
3. Swap clementines for oranges or any Christmas flavours (a touch of nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger).
4. Lastly, you can use any toppings – cocoa powder, crushed nuts, instant coffee, shredded coconut or sprinkles if you want to make it extra festive.

Pack these truffles in a nice box, write a note and give them to your neighbours. Christmas isn’t cancelled. So, share your love with everyone around you. This means more than ever before.

Recipe

Ingredients:
80g hazelnuts
20g almonds
100ml double cream
1 zest of a clementine
50g dark chocolate
50g milk chocolate
30g butter
50g cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and roast the nuts for 20 minutes.
2. In a saucepan heat the double cream with the zest of one clementine until it starts boiling.
3. Pour the cream onto the chocolate with the butter and a pinch of salt. Mix it until everything melts together.
4. Take the nuts from the oven and add them into a food processor. Blitz them until breadcrumb texture.
5. Add the nuts and rum into the chocolate mixture and mix everything together.
6. Leave the mixture in the fridge until it cools down (around 1 hour).
7. Dust the surface with cocoa powder.
8. Take the chocolate mixture out of the fridge, using your hands make the little balls (I made 12 littles balls) and roll them in the cocoa powder.
9. Keep them in the fridge before serving them.