Chocolate Hazlenut Marbles (Gluten Free)

These gluten-free lovelies are easy to fall in love with.  Especially once they're dunked in chocolate.

Begin by letting hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and salt take a whirl together in the food processor.

Until it looks about like this.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl (or large measuring cup), and make a "well" in the center.

Mix together a little honey and hot water and pour the liquid into the well.

Use a fork to blend.  Knead the mixture for a minute or two.  It will be a little sticky.  Refrigerate it for an hour or up to one day.

Scoop out rounded teaspoons and shape into marble-sized balls with your fingers. 

Pierce the marbles with a toothpick.

 

And dip in melted dark chocolate, if you so desire.  Then let them rest for about 2 hours while the coating hardens.

Expect them to disappear very, very quickly.

The printable recipe can be found here.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Marbles

Makes 20-25 marbles

1 cup shelled hazelnuts, toasted (you can substitute pecans, walnuts, almonds or unsalted pistachios)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of sea sat

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon hot water

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and the salt.  Process until mixture is finely ground.  Transfer to a large bowl.  

In a small bowl or cup, mix together the honey and hot water.  

Make a depression in the center of the hazelnut mixture and pour the honey/water mixture into the depression.  Use a fork to blend the mixture, then use your fingers to knead the paste for a minute or two.  It will be sticky.  Shape the dough into a disc and wrap it in waxed paper or plastic.  Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or up to a day).

After it has chilled, removed the hazelnut paste from the fridge.  Use a teaspoon to scoop the paste and then form the mixture into marble-sized balls with your fingers. Pierce each marble with a wooden toothpick.  When all of the paste has been used, cover the toothpick-pierced marbles with plastic wrap again and refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate dip.

Line a serving plate with a circle of parchment paper.  

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring from time to time.  (You can also use the microwave...I recommend 30-second increments on medium power.  Chocolate burns easily in there.)

Dip each of the marbles into the melted chocolate (sometimes it's easier to transfer the chocolate to a small teacup so that it's deeper).  Let the excess chocolate drip off and then place the dunked marble on the parchment paper.  Once all marbles have been coated, let them rest somewhere cool (but not the refrigerator). 

Method slightly adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini:  Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen