What are chocolate and chestnuts truffles?
Chocolate and chestnuts truffles are a traditional Italian recipe popular during the fall and winter seasons. Chestnuts are very popular in Italy, and are used to make both sweet and savory dishes (check out our pasta with chestnut pesto). In this recipe, we use chestnut flour, hazelnuts, and chocolate spread, to make these delicious and truly irresistible truffles. Note that this recipe is raw, naturally vegan, and gluten-free, but don’t panic! This is still a truly indulgent, 100% Italian, delicious sweet treat that everyone will love.Ps. Often in Italy we add liqueur to recipes like this. I added rum in this recipe, but if you don’t drink alcohol, feel free to keep it out. The truffles will still be delicious.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chestnut flour: you can find chestnut flour in the gluten-free section of your supermarket, or in the organic, healthy section. Sometimes you can find it next to chestnuts, and is generally sold during fall and winter season. Hazelnut chocolate spread: this would be something similar to Nutella, but best if without palm oil and vegan. There are many options these days. If you want to make it yourself at home, we have a recipe for it: hazelnut chocolate spread.Hazelnuts: peeled and toasted.Sugar: you can use any sugar for this recipe, however I like to use unrefined cane sugar because it adds a slight crunch to the the truffles, since the sugar cristals are coarser than regular white sugar.Coffee: we use Italian coffee made with a moka, but you can use any espresso or black coffee. Soy milk: or any other plant-milk like oat, almond, etc.Rum: I like to add a little rum to this recipe, but feel free to keep it out if you prefer to.
Unsweetened cacao powder and shredded coconut: I use those two ingredients to coat the truffles. You can also just use one of them.
Equipment
You’ll need a blender to blend the hazelnuts into coarse flour. Any blender will do, it doesn’t have to be particularly powerful. With the palms of your hands, shape the dough pieces into smooth balls. Add the hazelnut powder to a bowl, then sift in the chestnut flour. Mix with a spoon, then add sugar, coffee, soy milk, hazelnut chocolate spread, and rum (optional). With a silicone spatula, or with a spoon, mix the ingredients together. You can also mix with your hands to be faster. Mix till you get a compact dough, that is a little sticky. It should take a couple of minutes. Divide the dough into small pieces of about 22 grams each. I like to use a scale here. That is the best weight to make these truffles bite-size. You should be able to get about 25 pieces. On a small plate add the cacao powder, on another small plate add the shredded coconut. Roll each ball into either the cacao powder or the shredded coconut. Set aside on a serving plate and serve. If you don’t serve them immediately you can put them in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 4 days.
Storage
Store these homemade chocolate hazelnuts truffles in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is best to store them without the coating of cacao powder or coconut, and then coat them last minute before eating them.
Dinner ideas
Did you know that we develop our recipes to go together for a complete dinner meal plan? Serve these homemade chocolate and chestnuts truffles with: Pasta with chestnut pesto and mushrooms as a main dish. Kale chips in the oven with lemon and garlic dressing as a side dish. Castagnaccio – Italian chestnut flour cake For many more easy dessert ideas, check out our desserts category page.
Vegan creamy pasta – Boscaiola stylePan-fried tofu with mushroomsShaved Brussels sprout salad with maple syrup dressing
