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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Bring large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda.
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3
Drop in the hazelnuts, bring back to a boil, and blanch 10 seconds.
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4
Drain hazelnuts in a colander, then spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer.
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5
Place in oven and roast 8 to 10 minutes until light brown.
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6
Remove from oven, place a kitchen towel over the pan, and allow to cool completely.
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7
Rub cooled hazelnuts between your palms; the skins should slip right off.
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8
Set aside 50 whole hazelnuts.
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9
Grind the rest very fine in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and set aside.
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10
Place sugar and heavy cream in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
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11
Add the chopped chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
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12
Whisk in the butter.
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13
Pour the ganache into the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool until set.
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14
Fit the machine with a paddle and beat the set ganache on medium speed until aerated and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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15
Beat in the reserved ground hazelnuts and the liqueur if using.
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16
Beat well to thoroughly combine.
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17
Load mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
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18
Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
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19
Pipe out 1/2-inch balls.
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20
On top of each ball, press in one of the reserved whole toasted hazelnuts until it is halfway buried.
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21
Place pan in refrigerator to chill completely.
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22
To coat, place tempered chocolate in a medium bowl.
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23
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper.
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24
Get yourself 2 forks.
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25
Place one nut-topped ball on the prongs of one fork, nut up.
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26
Lower the fork into the melted chocolate, covering completely.
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27
Lift fork up, pause 3 seconds to allow excess chocolate to drip off, then run bottom of fork along top of bowl to remove excess chocolate.
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28
Place fork on paperlined pan and use second fork to push off the candy while you withdraw the first fork (it's easier than it sounds).
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29
Keep the nut up at all times.
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30
Repeat with remaining centers.
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31
If it's warm out, place the finished candies in the refrigerator to set; otherwise they will set at cool room temperature (65 degrees).
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32
Both of these candies make great Christmas presents packed into little boxes or baskets.
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33
They are involved but can be done easily in large batches.
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34
One day of work can yield many gifts.
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35
You can make a double of triple batch of truffle ganache and divide it, beating different flavorings into different parts.
