I know in folk tales and picture books Christmas memories are wooden toys, wreaths, carols around the piano and ‘fun’ snowball fights. My memories are less picture perfect. More about plastic Keepers, balding tinsel, Noddy Holder screeching ‘It’s Christmas!’ and never hearing that pesky boy at school creep up on me with his icy snowball save for the purple ear muffs I was wearing.
My childhood family Christmas memories are studded with brands. Yes, and so I reckon are yours. Are you a Roses or a Quality Street family? After Eights or Matchmakers… or both? Does Mum shop at Iceland? Or Waitrose (for a treat, only at Christmas mind) or Sainsburys? There was the Blue Nun on the table, the Babysham cocktails with maraschino cherries on cocktail sticks. And Eat Me dates of course! A temptation of a name. And last but never, ever least there were the Ferrero Rocher. Loved by all, practically inhaled. This was before I’d heard of nut allergies; it was quite normal to give these to younger cousins, barely weaned, and watch their little faces pop with enjoyment as they savoured that first bite.
Here are some chocolate hazelnut truffles, possibly reminiscent of the aforementioned golden treats.
One year ago: Christmas flapjacks and Walnut, bourbon and treacle tart and All about cake pops
Two years ago: Father Christmas’ Bakewell tart and Chocolate cupcakes and truffle icing and Halloween bloodshot eye truffles
Three years ago: Chocolate, cherry and hazelnut flapjack and Lazy fish pie and Greek green beans
Chocolate hazelnut truffles AKA homemade Fererro Rocher
Makes 15
Ingredients:
- 100g roasted skinless hazelnuts
- 100g Caprice biscuits or similar wafer style biscuits
- 80g Nutella
- 120g milk chocolate, melted and cooled a little
Whizz the hazelnuts up in your food processor until about 3mm across in size then add the biscuits, pulse again until crushed to about the same size. Add the Nutella and mix until well combined (you can do this by hand or with a food processor) then transfer to a bowl and use your hands to squash together truffle sized balls. Dip in the cooled melted chocolate and place on greaseproof paper to set. You can add a few chopped roasted hazelnuts to the outside when they have almost set if you wish. Package up and give these to the person you love most.
Get the monthly newsletter...
and subscribe to get all recipes straight to your inbox!