Hazelnut Chocolates

Ingredients

75g Blanched Hazelnuts

100g Dark Chocolate (72% Cocoa)

100ml Condensed Milk

1-2tbsp Hazelnut Oil

Pinch of Salt

3-4tbsp Hot Water

250g Milk Chocolate (to decorate)

Optional

Add 2-3 tbsp Cointreau or Cognac and decorate with dark chocolate

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC, place your hazelnuts on a tray and toast for about 7 minutes until they are pale golden. Remove the nuts from the oven and let them cool slightly. Then place the nuts in a food processor until they become very fine and almost a paste. In a bowl break up your chocolate add condensed milk and hazelnut oil. Place the bowl over a pan of hot water and melt the mixture together. Once melted add to the food processor  with the nuts and mix it all up. Now add a pinch of salt and the hot water until you have a thick paste. (If you are using alcohol add this now and don't worry if your mixture looks thinner it will firm up) Put the mix in a bowl and put in the fridge for 2 hours or over night.

Once chilled roll the mix into small balls about a teaspoon of the mixture should do. Place these on grease proof paper and put back in the fridge to firm up for another hour.

Now melt your chocolate to decorate and dip the chocolates individually. Add a drizzle of a different type of chocolate or edible glitter for a nice finishing touch.  Keep the chocolates chilled until you eat them.