The Rosiethon. Day 5 of Rosie's Christmas Baking. #20. Hazelnut Truffles.

For an intense chocolate experience, try these dense, decadent, chocolate hazelnut truffles. It's a chocolate and hazelnut base with a chocolate ganache on top.

I'm making a double batch of these truffles, since they're that good and I give a lot of Christmas Goodies. Simply half the recipe for one 8-inch square pan. Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles For hazelnut base: 2 cups hazelnuts, toasted 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 stick unsalted butter 12 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 eggs Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 8-inch square pans by buttering and dusting with cocoa powder. Finely grind nuts in food processor with flour,sugar, and salt. Melt butter. Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Add eggs 1 at at time, beating after each addition. Whisk until smooth. Stir in nut flour until just combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pans and bake about 15-20 minutes, until a tester inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering. Cool completely in pan on a rack, at least 2 hours.

Combine toasted hazelnuts with flour, sugar, and salt.

Process.

Melt butter, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add in nut flour.

Mix until just combined.

Pour into prepared pans.

Use a piece of plastic to roll the dough evenly.

Ready for baking.

350 degrees about 15-20 minutes. Let cool.

Next, I'm making a chocolate ganache to pour over top. For ganache: 4 large egg yolks 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 tsp salt 24 oz bittersweet chocolate Lightly beat yolks. Bring cream and salt to boil then add half of it to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining cream and cook over low heat, whisking, until slightly thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees. Do not let boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour ganache over hazelnut base, smoothing with offset spatula. Chill, covered, until firm, at least 5 hours. Cut into squares.

For ganache: 4 egg yolks 2 cups heavy cream 24 oz bittersweet chocolate

1/4 tsp salt

Mix salt and heavy cream. Bring to a boil.

Pour half of the hot cream into the yolks ...

... whisking constantly.

Pour yolk mixture back into cream.

Return to heat, whisking, until ...

... temperature reaches 170 degrees.

Remove from heat and add chocolate.

Whisk until smooth.

Pour over hazelnut base.

Smooth ganache with an offset spatula. Chill, then cut into squares.