Many years ago I loved these chocolates; Furthermore, the typical advertisements for these chocolates at Christmas always seemed endearing to me. Which of your guests is going to say no to this delicious dessert? It is practically impossible to get anyone to do it. It is a great dessert for these Christmas dinners and lunches, where food abounds. And, as the saying goes, “he who warns is not a traitor”: put up a sign warning that everyone eat in moderation and take responsibility if they decide to take more than one.
I leave you a super menu ideal for these upcoming holidays:
Christmas starters: goat cheese bites with orange honey and dried apricots wrapped in ham that you can accompany with a green salad
Major: curried lamb with roasted apples and coconut sauce
Dessert: how to make healthy gluten-free pollorones along with these delicious homemade chocolates
This holiday season is the perfect time to give something that inspires, educates, and motivates you to share special moments with your loved ones: books! And what better than books about gastronomythose treasures that not only teach us how to cook, but also take us on a trip around the world through flavors. One book in particular that stands out for its exquisite editing and its content full of wonderful recipes is Mexico Round Tripby chef Paco Méndez, published by Planeta Gastro.
Paco Méndez, who was part of the iconic ElBulli restaurant, presents us with a unique culinary proposal: Mexican food reinterpreted with ingredients from Europe, Spain and Barcelona. This book not only captures the essence of the rich and varied Mexican culture, but also shows how gastronomy can connect continents and traditions through creativity. Giving a book like this is much more than a detail: it is offering a cultural experience that enriches the heart and the table. Make these holidays unforgettable with a gift full of flavor and culture!
This recipe is made up of two parts. The first is homemade hazelnut cream, which you can buy ready-made or prepare at home. The second includes the preparation of these chocolates themselves.
Homemade hazelnut cream (healthy version)
Ingredients:
- 500 g raw hazelnuts (without skin).
- 1 sugar-free vegan white chocolate (optional, for a creamier texture).
- 1 tablespoon honey or coconut sugar (optional, for a natural sweet touch, you can replace it with your favorite sweetener).
- Optional: 2 tablespoons of coconut milk powder or whatever powdered milk you have. Another option is the same amount of protein powder (to thicken).
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 120-140°C. Place the hazelnuts on a tray and toast for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent them from browning too much and losing their natural oils.
- This method preserves the sweet, mild flavor of the hazelnuts, complementing the other ingredients.
Food processor option:
- Place the hazelnuts in a food processor.
- Shreds in short intervals. It is important to stop every 30-60 seconds to loosen the hazelnuts from the walls of the processor with a spatula, as they tend to accumulate and make the process difficult. If you notice that your processor is not powerful enough or the mixture becomes too dense, add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or a little of the melted vegan white chocolate little by little. The extra grease will help the blades work more effectively.
- Continue grinding patiently, repeating the peeling and grinding process until you obtain a creamy and homogeneous texture.
Option with Thermomix or similar:
- Blend at speed 6 for 1 minute. Scrape down the remains with a spatula. Blend at speed 8 for 30 seconds and then at speed 10 for 2-3 minutes, until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream.
- Add the vegan white chocolate melted in a double boiler, the honey or coconut sugar and the 2 tablespoons of coconut milk powder to thicken and soften the texture.
- Store the cream in a clean, airtight glass jar in a cool place or in the refrigerator. It lasts up to 1 month.
Ferrero type chocolates
Ingredients:
- 50 g of dark chocolate 85-90% cocoa.
- 50 g of toasted hazelnuts (with the light toasting prepared previously, crushed into small pieces).
- 40 g of homemade hazelnut cream (prepared previously).
- 100 ml of coconut cream (you can find it in natural products stores or supermarkets in the lactose-free or Asian products section).
- Whole hazelnuts (one per chocolate).
- 1 teaspoon pure cocoa (to decorate, optional).
Preparation:
- Crush the 50 g of hazelnuts into small pieces to get a crunchy touch.
- Heat the coconut cream in a saucepan over medium heat, without letting it boil.
- Add the hazelnut cream and dark chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Add 2 tablespoons of crushed hazelnuts and mix well.
- Let the mixture chill in the refrigerator until firm (about 30 minutes).
- Take small portions of the cold mixture, place a whole hazelnut in the center and form compact balls.
- Melt an additional 50 g of 85-90% cocoa dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave (in 30 second intervals).
- Dip each bonbon in the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the remaining crushed hazelnuts or a touch of pure cocoa.
- Place the chocolates on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for 1 hour until the icing is firm.
Christmas Montage – Pine of Chocolates
Base and structure:
- Place a round base or pretty plate for presentation.
- Stack the chocolates forming a large circle as a base. Go up in layers, reducing the size of the circles, until forming a pyramid shaped like a Christmas pine tree.
Decoration:
- Sprinkle lightly with pure cocoa or coconut flour to simulate snow.
- Place small leaves of fresh mint between the chocolates to give a green and natural touch.
Optional finishing touch:
- You can add small edible decorations, such as chocolate stars or whole nuts to imitate tree decorations.
Properties of hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are nuts full of health benefits, but it is important to consume them in the right way to take full advantage of their properties. It is preferable to avoid commercial toasted versions, since they are usually processed at high temperatures, or fried ones, because in both cases their healthy fats become inflammatory. Consumed raw, on the other hand, they retain all their nutritional qualities.
High antioxidant content: Eaten with the skin and unroasted, hazelnuts contain three times more antioxidants, called proanthocyanidins, than other nuts. These compounds help combat the harmful action of free radicals in organs and cells, promoting better general health.
Benefits for skin and hair: Thanks to their content of folate and biotin, two B vitamins, hazelnuts contribute to skin care and hair strengthening.
More energy and improvements in neurons, inflammation and immune system: Hazelnuts are an excellent source of copper, a mineral involved in the formation of red blood cells and fighting free radical damage. In addition, this mineral improves communication between neurons, cardiac function, the health of the central nervous system and connective tissues, also contributing to the integrity of the immune system.
References
- Ciemniewska-Żytkiewicz H, Verardo V, Pasini F, Bryś J, Koczoń P, Caboni MF. Determination of lipid and phenolic fraction in two hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars grown in Poland. Food Chem. 2015 Feb 1;168:615-22. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.107. Epub 2014 Jul 30. PMID: 25172755. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25172755/
- Frijhoff J, Winyard PG, Zarkovic N, Davies SS, Stocker R, Cheng D, Knight AR, Taylor EL, Oettrich J, Ruskovska T, Gasparovic AC, Cuadrado A, Weber D, Poulsen HE, Grune T, Schmidt HH, Ghezzi P .Clinical Relevance of Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2015 Nov 10;23(14):1144-70. doi: 10.1089/ars.2015.6317. Epub 2015 Oct 26. PMID: 26415143; PMCID: PMC4657513. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26415143/
- Sinha N, Dabla PK. Oxidative stress and antioxidants in hypertension-a current review. Curr Hypertens Rev 2015;11(2):132-42. doi: 10.2174/1573402111666150529130922. PMID: 26022210. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26022210/
- Ciarmiello LF, Mazzeo MF, Minasi P, Peluso A, De Luca A, Piccirillo P, Siciliano RA, Carbone V. Analysis of different European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars: authentication, phenotypic features, and phenolic profiles. J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jul 2;62(26):6236-46. doi: 10.1021/jf5018324. Epub 2014 Jun 24. PMID: 24927513. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24927513/
- Bolling BW, McKay DL, Blumberg JB. The phytochemical composition and antioxidant actions of tree nuts. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2010;19(1):117-23. PMID: 20199996; PMCID: PMC5012104. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20199996/
- Tey SL, Gray AR, Chisholm AW, Delahunty CM, Brown RC. The dose of hazelnuts influences acceptance and diet quality but not inflammatory markers and body composition in overweight and obese individuals. J Nutr. 2013 Aug;143(8):1254-62. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.174714. Epub 2013 Jun 12. PMID: 23761651. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23761651/
- Orem A, Yucesan FB, Orem C, Akcan B, Kural BV, Alasalvar C, Shahidi F. Hazelnut-enriched diet improves cardiovascular risk biomarkers beyond a lipid-lowering effect in hypercholesterolemic subjects. J Clin Lipidol. 2013 Mar-Apr;7(2):123-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jacl.2012.10.005. Epub 2012 Oct 26. PMID: 23415431. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23415431/
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