Hazelnut Irish Cream Truffles

Hazelnut Irish Cream Truffles are decadent, rich, and densely chocolaty. The creaminess and meltiness of the chocolate ganache mixture contrasts very well with the slight saltiness and crunchiness of the toasted hazelnuts. With just a touch of Irish Cream, these truffles are suitable for all ages!

Earlier this year, I started to experiment with cocktails and mixology. I published a new cocktail every Wednesday for a few months. After spending a small fortune on building up a home bar, I find I have lots of leftover, opened bottles, so using some of it up in a truffle was a no-brainer. Hazelnut Irish Cream Truffles are the first boozy truffle in Lord Byron’s 12 Truffles of Christmas series.

Truth be told, there are only two tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish Cream in the entire lot, so these truffles are certainly safe for your little ones to eat as well. There’s just enough to not only flavour the truffles, but to give them that warming affect on the tongue that one usually experiences when consuming alcohol. And, if you are completely against using alcohol in your baking, just substitute the Bailey’s with extra heavy cream!

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE:

• Semi-sweet Chocolate – You can use good semi-sweet chocolate chips or high-quality chocolate. Just be sure to use semi-sweet and not milk chocolate. Otherwise, the truffle will be overly sweet. You can use dark chocolate if you like!
• Cream – Do not be tempted to use half and half or a lighter cream. You must use 35% whipping cream or a full-fat, heavy cream. Anything less and forming the chocolate mixture into balls is going to cause you lots of trouble.
• Bailey’s Irish Cream – You can use any brand of Irish Cream you wish.
• Hazelnuts – The truffles are rolled in finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts. Do not skip the toasting part!

MORE CHRISTMAS CONFECTIONS!

Maybe you don’t care much for truffles. Or, maybe you’re impatient and can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s recipe will be! If either one of those applies to you, I have a remedy. Last year, I published a series called Lord Byron’s 12 Biscotti of Christmas. The year before that, I published a series called Lord Byron’s 12 Bundt Cakes of Christmas. You can click on the image below and see the entire series on one page! Don’t worry, you won’t lose this page. It will open up a new webpage so that you can easily get back to these truffles!

HEAVY CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Confession time – I use them both interchangeably, depending on what is available at the store, or whatever is on sale! Both of these can be quite costly. If memory serves me correctly, a 250mL carton, or one cup, here in Canada, will run just short of $5! There is a difference in the two, but not enough to concern yourself with when it comes to these Hazelnut Irish Cream Truffles.

Just in case you’re interested, the most basic difference is the amount of fat contained in both. Whipping cream has 35% fat. It can be whipped into peaks and it’s also rich enough that it won’t curdle when heated in soups and sauces. It’s nearly identical to heavy cream so if a recipe calls for heavy cream and you can only find whipping cream, feel free to use that instead.

In contrast, heavy cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream, contains about 38% fat. If I’m planning to pipe whipped cream onto a pie or onto a cup of hot chocolate, I’ll use heavy cream instead of whipping cream. The heavier fat content ensures that the whipped cream will not deflate as quickly or get those little pools of water that ruin the look of our hard work!

TOASTING HAZELNUTS

Whenever a recipe suggests that you first toast the nuts or seeds before using them, please do so. It adds so much more flavour! It’s very simple! To be perfectly honest, this applies to any nuts or seeds, not just the nuts in this recipe. If you are not familiar with toasted nuts, then please try it just once. You will probably never revert to using nuts in your cooking or baking again without toasting them first!

I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. You could use a cast iron pan, but since they get very hot and retain heat so well, it’s easier to burn the nuts. See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you run out and buy this same cookware set, but I want you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results will plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting nuts. Add the nuts to a cold pan. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner.

Keep the nuts moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The nuts will take on a slightly golden colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

MORE ROLLING OPTIONS:

If you don’t care for hazelnuts, you can certainly use other nuts in its place. For this recipe, I would consider using cashews, macadamias, or even blanched almonds. Remember that cashews are a softer nut, so you won’t get as much crunch factor as you would with hazelnuts. You can buy most nuts already chopped, but you can chop and toast them yourself at home. Whatever you do, buy salted nuts, because chocolate and salt and wonderful pairing.

In the case that you have nut allergy, or if you just don’t like them, you have other rolling options. The most commonly used topping for rolling chocolaty truffles into is cocoa powder. The cocoa powder will stick very well to the chocolate ganache. You might also consider using espresso powder. Like chocolate and salt, chocolate and coffee are a perfect match!

One can never go wrong with candy sprinkles. Truffles with sprinkles are probably the second most common rolling option! You can also use coconut. In fact, I have rolled truffles in coconut many times. Try toasting the coconut for even more flavour!

HOW TO BLANCH ALMONDS:

The use of blanched almonds can be found in many recipes. To be perfectly honest, I always buy them at the grocery store. In essence, they are almonds which have had the outer brown skin removed. For the most part, the skin is only removed for the purpose of appearance.

If you can’t find blanched almonds, you can prepare them at home very easily. First, place the almonds in a heat-proof bowl. Boil enough water in a kettle to cover the almonds. Pour the boiled water into the bowl with the almonds and let them sit for exactly one minute. Do not go over the one-minute mark.

Drain the almonds in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. This will stop the almonds from continuing to cook. If they are hot for too long, you’ll lose the crunchiness. Lay the almonds out onto a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry.

Working with one almond at a time, take one in your hand and pinch the end with your thumb and finger. The skin will come off quite easily. Sometimes, if you pinch too hard, the almond will fly across the room! I like to place my free hand right in front of the almond so that it hits my hand and goes no further than that! Be sure to let the almonds dry completely before using them in any baked goods.

MORE CHRISTMAS RECIPES!

Did you know that I’ve been posting a 24 Cookies of Christmas series for a few years now? There are over 100 Christmas cookie recipes that you can find right here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen! To make it easier to find, I have created a page for each series. Just click on the image below and you’ll find the full series for that volume all one page!

HOW TO MAKE HAZELNUT IRISH CREAM TRUFFLES:

I said this in yesterday’s post – and the day before that too! – but it’s worth repeating again today. Even though truffles are super easy to make, they do require a little bit of patience. I’m speaking of course about the time it takes for the truffle mixture to set up in the fridge before they can be rolled into balls. I hate that! I can’t tell you how many times I refuse to make a recipe because I have to wait for something to chill. I have no patience, I tell you! Ha! But if you have ever worked with ganache before, then you’ll know that patience is key.

For this recipe, the first thing you want to do is to measure out your semi-sweet chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Set that aside and focus on the cream. Add the cream to a sauce pan. Over medium heat, warm the cream until bubbles start to form around the outer edge of the cream. You should be slowly whisking the whole time to prevent the cream from scalding. If it gets too hot, it will burn and you cannot use it.

Once the cream is hot, pour it directly over the chocolate you had previously measured into a bowl. Let the cream and chocolate sit undisturbed for 90 seconds. Then use a spoon to stir the two ingredients together until they combine to form a smooth consistency. Next, add the Irish Cream and stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

FORMING THE TRUFFLES:

While the chocolate mixture sets up in the fridge, ready the hazelnuts. If you have not purchased chopped nuts, chop them now. When chopped, add them to a stainless steel skillet. Over medium heat, continuously stir the nuts with a wooden spoon until they brown and become fragrant. Immediately transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a dinner plate. Spread them out so that they cool quickly.

Once the 2 hours have passed, set up a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Measure out a slightly heaping teaspoon of the mixture. Roll into balls and then roll in the toasted hazelnuts until coated. Place on the parchment-lined baking tray. Once all of the balls are rolled, place the baking tray in the fridge for an hour to set up.

TIPS & TRICKS: If the chocolate is too soft to roll into balls, the reason could be that the chocolate you used had too much fat content. This would certainly be the case with cheap, no name chocolate. Try placing the bowl into the freezer for 30 minutes and try rolling the balls again. If the chocolate is sticking to your hands, wash your hands and dry them well. A build up of chocolate on your palms will cause the sticking. I washed my hands several times while rolling the chocolate mixture into balls.

STORING, PACKAGING, AND FREEZING

When it comes to truffles of any kind, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop. Store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze these truffles, again, pile them into a food-safe, freezer-friendly container. You’ll want to ensure a very tight fitting lid too. (I use these quite often when freezing baked goods.) I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in! You can freeze these for up to three months. Enjoy!