nutella truffles

We are busy moms. As joyful the holidays are, Purim brings upon a load of work, chores and cooking in Jewish households. We often resort to a mishmash of store-bought candies, chocolates or treats to fill mishloach manot baskets. To me, the best kind of mishloach manots are homemade food baskets. I love the personal touch, often more cost-effective and appreciated. This year I decided to make - IN ADVANCE and FREEZE - assorted chocolate truffles for family and friends. I love the fact I can make these the week before Purim.  This year's truffles include:

NUTELLA TRUFFLES,
TIRAMISU TRUFFLES,
RUM TRUFFLES, AND
MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES.

I bought beautiful boxes from the dollar store to wrap them up, you can also find miniature cellophane bags or mini boxes at your local art supply store. 

Although these are made dairy using Nutella, I included a link to make a homemade hazelnut chocolate spread. To make these pareve, you can also use pareve Elite chocolate spread and insert a toasted hazelnut inside the truffle. Up next is the Tiramisu Truffle recipe.

NUTELLA TRUFFLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Time: 2.5 hour  | Serves 24-30 |  Dairy
INGREDIENTS	INSTRUCTIONS
GANACHE 8 ounces quality semisweet or dark chocolate 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (AKA Nutella) OR Homemade Nutella spread 1/2 cup heavy cream or pareve coffee creamer from the frozen aisle COATING AND TOPPING 3 ounces of dark chocolate or chocolate chips for the coating 1 teaspoon vegetable Roasted, finely chopped hazelnuts for sprinkling, skin removed	TO MAKE THE GANACHE 1.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. 2.  Using the double boiler method, pour water in a small saucepan halfway and simmer it (avoid boiling water- you want to avoid moisture going into the chocolate).  Also, avoid using a wooden spoon. Place the heatproof bowl on the saucepan, and heat up the heavy cream until hot, but not boiling. Place the 8 ounces of chocolate into the hot cream. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until fully combined and the chocolate is melted. (it should be smooth and creamy not clumpy).  Stir in chocolate hazelnut spread. Remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set. 3. With the help of a small cookie scoop or melon baller (about 1 teaspoon), scoop out chocolate mixture and form into balls using your hands. Place them onto prepared cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 15- 20 minutes. COATING AND TOPPING 4.  In the meantime, heat remaining chocolate - the same double boiler method as above. Add oil, and stir to combine.  5.  Remove chocolate balls from the freezer and place one ball at a time into the melted chocolate. Using a fork or wooden stick, evenly coat each ball with the chocolate. Use the fork to remove the truffle from the chocolate. Before transferring it back into the baking sheet, slightly tap the fork (with the truffle pricked on it) against the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Place each truffle on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chocolate balls.  6.  Pour leftover melted chocolate into a small Ziplock bag, cut off one corner and pipe melted chocolate in a linear up and down motion on top of each truffle and top with the crushed roasted hazelnuts. 7.  Return truffles to the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes or until truffles are set.  Try to keep these cool, when you hand these to people, specify these should go in the refrigerator.  NOTE: Nutella Truffles will keep up to 7 days stored in the fridge or up to 4 weeks in the freezer in an airtight container. If these are not for Purim, you can eat them right away of course.

a chocolatier in montreal

Monsieur Bensabat - The Chocolatier behind  Excellence Chocolates 

There’s more to Jewish food culture in Montreal than babkas or bagels. Our City's unique Jewish chefs, bakers or chocolatiers have many untold stories, secrets or tips to be shared, which is why I am on a new culinary mission. A mission to finding out what drives these cooks to do what they do best in the kitchen.

Monsieur Bensabat (right) with his son-in-law, Yerucham State. On the table is the only original chocolate box from the 80s.

My first encounter with a chocolatier

Last Sunday, I met Monsieur Bensabat, owner of Excellence Chocolates, the maker of some of the best Belgian Pralines Montreal has to offer – literally the best I've ever tasted – plus they happen to be kosher. Located in the heart of the DeVimy area, I toured the family-run business and understood the complexities of making confectionery chocolate. Making chocolates isn’t as easy as we think, humidity is enemy #1, the tempered machinery is key, and the success of the shine on the pralines depends on timeworn molds used. However, with all this in mind, the true secret to creating fine pralines isn't simply about the high-quality chocolate used, but also about the patience, passion and humility embraced by the chocolatier who hand-makes each one.

About Monsieur Bensabat

Little boys in Morocco don’t dream of becoming Belgian Praline makers, interestingly, this is how Monsieur Bensabat’s career unfolded. He was born and raised in Marrakesh, his love of fine cuisine and traditional Moroccan cooking was homebred. He was a young scout when he began cooking-up salads for his family to enjoy. After living in France for some time, his family moved to Montreal where he became a high school teacher in the public school system. But in 1987, his life changed, a conversation with a colleague led him to  visit a Lasalle chocolate factory. Soon after, in 1989, he seized an opportunity to create a unique line of kosher dairy-free Belgian Pralines for local kosher caterers.

Top right: Both his son, Gamliel Bensabat, and son-in-law, Yerucham State help him run the business

"Chaque fois que j'avais une grande commande, 

j'appeler le mashgiach (kosher supervisor),

et je mettais la machine en marche à 6 h du matin, 

et c'est comme ça que j'ai commencé." 

- Monsieur Bensabat

Soon enough, word of mouth spread, and his clientele expanded. In 2010-2011, he took over the entire chocolate making facility, and transported it to his current facility on Bates, which is opened to the public as well. He works out of two kitchens6, a pareve one and a dairy one in which he develops various truffles such as whisky, passion fruit, caramel and more. 

The White House Chocolatier

Years ago, Monsieur Bensabat's son-in-law Yerucham, was at a food show where he met the official chocolatier of the White House (yes, the White House has its very own chocolate maker.) Point aside, Yerucham asked the White House chocolate maker if he can train them. The WH Chocolatier tasted Monsieur Bensabat's Belgian Pralines and confessed: " with chocolates like that, there is nothing I need to teach you."

Gamliel Bensabat (left)  holding  pistachio, almond, cranberry white chocolate bark. 

Right, pralines start with quality hazelnuts. 

After my visit, I have an entirely new perspective on chocolate-making, but more so, admire the humility of a man, once a teacher, who followed his culinary dream, making the finest chocolates we can taste.

For info visit their facebook page at Excellence Chocolates.

"Sisters and chocolate make life bearable." So true.