Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

Oftentimes it is when you combine very few ingredients that are high quality that is when true magic unfolds.  This is definitely the case for the chocolate truffle, which combines the best quality chocolate with heavy whipping cream to form a rich ball of cocoa goodness.  Continue for recipe...

Ingredients
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions
Chop chocolate chips into smalll pieces and place inside heat-proof bowl. Bring heavy cream to simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes whisk chocolate and cream mixture and add vanilla extract.  Place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours to set.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, add hazelnuts to baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes.  Once cooled place into food processor to chop.  On ganache dough has chilled use melon scoop to form small balls. Roll in toasted hazelnuts and store in the refrigerator or allow to set at room temperature if serving.  

Packaging
I love adding some sort of sweet confection to a store bought gift. Here I decorated favor boxes with festive gift tags and bakers twine from one of my favorite Etsy shops, Todo Papel.  

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

*All photographs by Alison