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Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Balls

After playing around with making cake pops this Halloween, I thought it would be fun to do a cake ball for my Christmas cookie exchange.  I wanted to try a new twist on the cake pop recipe, so I added one of my favorite things in the whole world to the cake crumbles.....NUTELLA (a.k.a heaven on a spoon).  I knew that it would work incredibly well as a binding agent instead of the frosting that normally holds a cake ball together.  I also added chopped hazelnuts for a great crunch.  A new family favorite was born this week.  These little chocolate hazelnut balls are dangerously delicious! 

Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Balls


Ingredients:
1 Devil’s food cake, baked and cooled (box or homemade)

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, chopped finely
1 (13 oz) container Nutella

12 oz bag Ghirardelli bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp shortening

Royal icing for drizzling

*Optional: Sugar sprinkles

Prepare cake and cool.  Break cake up into sections and place into the bowl of an electric mixer.  Set mixer to low and mix until cake is crumbly.  Add nutella and mix until just incorporated.  Add hazelnuts and mix until combined.  Roll into tablespoon size balls and refrigerate overnight.

Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler until smooth.  Dip balls one at a time with a fork and allow to dry and harden.  Drizzle with royal icing and top with clear sugar sprinkles.  Store in the refrigerator.

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