Chestnut truffles

Method

• step 1

  Heat the cream until it’s just below simmering. Put the chocolate in a large bowl, pour over the cream and stir until the chocolate has melted. If all the chocolate hasn’t melted, put it over a pan of simmering water and stir until it’s smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat, stir in the chestnut purée and allow to cool, then chill until set.

• step 2

  For the brittle, heat the sugar in a heavy-based pan until it becomes golden, liquid caramel. Tip the pan, rather than stirring to melt the sugar.Evenly add the hazelnuts and stir well, add a pinch of salt and pour out onto a lined baking sheet and allow to cool. Break into pieces, then tip into a blender and blitz to a sand-like texture.

• step 3

  Roll teaspoons of the truffle mix into small balls, working quickly to keep the mix cool. Roll half of them in the brittle and half in the chopped cocoa nibs. Chill until ready to serve.