Ferrero Rocher Truffles

A delicious healthy take on your favourite ferrero rochers - dairy free, no refined sugars, but still seriously delicious

Course Dessert, Snack, sweet treat

Cuisine European

Diet Vegan

Keyword cacao powder, dairy free, gluten free, healthy, refined sugar free, vegan, wheat free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 7

Total Time 27

Servings

Calories 116kcal

Cost $9

To roast your hazelnuts, place them on an oven tray and roast on fan bake at 180°C (355°F) for 7 minutes. Remove and let cool, then pour into a clean tea towel, close it into a bundle and rub them together so some of the skins flake off. Pour the nuts into a sieve/colander and shake them again so the skins fall to the bottom (it's ok if some of the skins are still on).
Put the topping ingredients in a food processor and blend until finely chopped, then pour into a flat bowl.
Place the remaining truffles ingredients in your food processor and blend until the oils from the nuts release and it starts to form a sticky dough. It should hold together when pressed between your finger. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of melted coconut oil or water.
Scoop out tablespoons of the mixture, place a hazelnut in the middle of each and roll into balls with your hands, then roll into your flat bowl of toppings. Place in the freezer for an hour to set, then keep in the freezer for optimal chew. Will keep in the freezer for 2 months.

Gluten free: these are naturally wheat free through the use of rolled oats. To make them completely gluten free (and paleo) if you are Coeliac or avenin/oat intolerant, swap the oats for extra hazelnuts, cashews, or buckwheat groats.
Nut free: use hemp seeds instead of hazelnuts and cashews. However, this will change the flavour profile somewhat.
If you are allergic to coconuts, melted cacao butter can be used as a substitute - it gives them an even richer chocolate flavour.
You can also use activated hazelnuts instead of roasting - just don't use raw.
If your food processor is not that strong, blend the nuts and oats first until they form a powder. Then add your dates one by one whilst the motor is running through the hole in the top, and finally the remaining ingredients at the end and blend until sticky and combined. If your mixture is still a bit crumbly, add another tablespoon of coconut oil (or water) to the mix and blend again.
The movement and heat from blending will encourage the nuts to release their natural oils, especially if you use the lightly roasted version. As a result, the roasted version will blend together quicker than the dried and activated version as the oils more readily release (especially if the nuts are still a little warm, which will help them to blend).
Keep any leftover hazelnut cacao nib topping mixture in a sealed container in the fridge, and sprinkle on your muesli, fruit or dessert with some coconut yoghurt.