Chocolate Hazelnut Bon-bons from Christmas Dessert Murder by Joanne Fluke
Recipe type: This is a no-bake recipe.
 
Makes approximately 3 dozen, depending on the size of the candy balls
Ingredients
  • ½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread*
  • ¼ cup plus 1 rounded tablespoon salted butter, softened, divided
  • ¼ cup finely chopped hazelnuts**
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (do not sift)
  • 1 small box food picks or long toothpicks
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips***
Instructions
  1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper.
  2. Using a wooden spoon or fork, mix together the chocolate-hazelnut spread with the ¼ cup butter in a medium-size bowl. Sprinkle the hazelnuts on top and mix them in thoroughly. Add the vanilla extract and mix that in. Add the confectioners’ sugar in ½-cup increments, mixing well after each addition.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until mixture is firm, at least 1 hour.
  4. Roll small balls of the chocolate-hazelnut mixture. Stick a food pick into each ball and place the completed balls on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet with the chocolate-hazelnut balls in the freezer until frozen, at least 1 hour.
  5. When the chocolate-hazelnut balls are frozen, prepare to melt the chocolate coating. Leave chocolate-hazelnut balls in the freezer until the chocolate coating has melted and you are ready to dip them.
  6. Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Top with remaining 1 rounded tablespoon butter. Heat in a microwave oven on HIGH for 1 minute. Let sit in the microwave oven for 1 minute more and then stir to see if the chocolate chips are melted. If they’re not, continue to heat in 30-second increments followed by 30 seconds of standing time until you can stir them smooth.
  7. Using the food picks as handles and working quickly, dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate and then return them to the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet with the Chocolate Hazelnut Bon-Bons in the refrigerator until chocolate is set, at least 2 hours.
  8. Just before serving, remove the balls from the refrigerator, arrange them on a pretty plate, and leave the food picks in place so that guests can use them as a handle when they eat them.
Notes
*We used Nutella.

**If hazelnuts are not available, you can use pecans or another favorite nut.

***We used Nestlé.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/joanne-fluke-presents-a-pageturner-with-christmas-dessert-murder/