· Truffles can be chilled up to 1 week.
· Truffles can be frozen in pan, covered tightly with foil, 1 month.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 80 truffles
Ingredients
For hazelnut base
For ganache
Preparation
Make hazelnut base:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan, then dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
Step 2
Finely grind nuts in a food processor with flour, sugar, and salt.
Step 3
Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan, then remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in nut flour until just combined.
Step 4
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and dry and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, at least 2 hours.
Make ganache:
Step 5
Lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Bring cream with salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, 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°F (do not let boil).
Step 6
Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour ganache over hazelnut base in pan, smoothing top with offset spatula, and chill, covered, until firm, at least 5 hours.
Step 7
Cut into squares with a warmed thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut, and remove from pan while still cold.
Step 8
Serve truffles cold or at room temperature.
