café couture

Hazelnut Chocolates (a)

A couple of years ago, my mum allowed me to do the WHOLE process of making the hazelnut chocolates for Christmas. From then on, it has always been my job to make the Hazelnut chocolates, and when she tried to do it this year, I had to forcibly remove her from the kitchen.

I am going to write the recipe exactly as I did it, which ended up with about 150 chocolates. I had tripled the original recipe, so if you use 1/3 of the ingredients, you will end up with about 50 chocolates.
These chocolates are time consuming BUT amazingly good, and everyone who eats them will be impressed, I promise. If they aren't, then there is something wrong with them, NOT you.

Hazelnut Chocolates

210g roasted hazelnuts
600g dark cooking chocolate
150g butter
3 egg yolks
2 tbspn hazelnut liqueur
150 small tin foil cases

Spread foil cases out onto a baking tray.
Roast the hazelnuts and rub between your hands to get rid of the skin.
Chop the hazelnuts, saving about a handful whole (to garnish later).
Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl.

Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate, one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Stir in the liqueur, (I always add an extra dash for good luck).
Add in the chopped hazelnuts and mix well.

Spoon about 1 tspn of the mix into small foil cases.
Place a whole hazelnut ontop of some of the chocolate.

Tips
You can buy pre roasted hazelnuts, just remember to get rid of as much skin as possible.
Use 70% dark chocolate for extra decadent chocolates.
Use a baby spoon to spoon chocolate into foil cases, I find its easier.
Foil cases can be brought from most kitchen stores.

White Chocolate Apricot Almond (a)

Happy new year everyone! I'm a bit behind on a few recipes, so gonna get straight into it. This year, I want to expand the blog, add on a separate tab so you can follow our food reviews (if you know how to do this, PLEASE let me know) as well as recipes. I also wanna get more people reading this, and I PROMISE to get better at taking photos.

Anyways, following on from Christmas, I made a white chocolate...of sorts...it was meant to be truffles, but I couldn't remember the real recipe, so I made more of a chocolate crunch. Its super easy, and great for a small Christmas gift :) Read on to find out more....

White chocolate apricot almond

2 blocks white cooking chocolate
150 g slivered almonds
1 cup dried apricots
50g butter

Prepare a baking tray.
Melt butter and white chocolate.
Cut apricots into pieces.
Mix almonds and apricots into the chocolate.
Spread onto tray, about 1-2cm thick and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
Break into bite sized pieces and store in the fridge.

Tips
Together with the hazelnut chocolates, this makes a great Christmas present when wrapped up in green/red cellophane and tied with ribbon. I made about 12, which mum and dad took to work for their workmates!

Merry Christmas!! (a)

Merry Christmas!!!

So, My Christmas gift to you all...I wanted to put a few pictures up of some of the Christmas food I ate.

I was lucky enough to go to NZ for Christmas, and spent a most enjoyable hour at the cherry farms in blenheim, picking cherries straight from the tree for $9/kilo. I also ate LOTS of icecream (because NZ icecream is the BEST) and ham and turkey (yes we had two Christmas dinners). I also got to spend alot of time with my mums side of the family, all my brilliant aunts, uncles and cousins...its like instant friends, just add food :)

It was a great experience, and I wouldnt give up the traditions my family carries for anything. I will be teaching my children (and husband) how to spend Christmas the Taucher (Wisniewski) way, with midnight mass, lots of amazing food, present opening on Christmas eve and boxing day picnics.

Hope you all had a FABULOUS Christmas as well....filled with the best things in life...family, friends, faith and FOOOOODD!!!! xx