Coffee and walnut chocolates

My favourite flavours for a cake, but in a chocolate! Ok, these are purely for eating without shame just as they are, but they would make a fabulous adornment for a cake.

coffee and walnut chocolates

coffee and walnut chocolates

coffee and walnut chocolates

These are thin, crisp white chocolate shells, filled with a rich coffee and vanilla ganache, with crushed chocolate walnuts. These walnuts add a great texture inside, as well as giving a punchy, nutty flavour that goes so well with coffee.

If there is any ganache left over, let it set fully and take small spoonfuls of it. Roll into balls gently, without letting the melt too much, and roll in cocoa powder. Great chocolate truffles!

Which chocolate to use?

I love the contrast you get with white chocolate shells and dark chocolate inside (or vice-versa), but I am quite partial to having a dark shell and a dark interior.

I brushed and splashed a little melted cocoa butter in the moulds for an extra visual flourish when the chocolates are turned out: the cocoa butter is totally optional gives a great finish.

Intense coffee!

These chocolates and suitably intense with the coffee, but the filling is actually light to eat. I add a little sea salt to the walnuts/chocolate mixture as it adds an extra dimension with its subtle kick.

Recipe: coffee and walnut chocolates

chocolate shells

• 300g dark or white chocolate, ideally tempered but melted is fine
• coloured cocoa butter, optional (and go for any colour)

walnut crunch:

• 70g walnuts, roughly crushed
• 50g milk chocolate, melted
• generous pinch of crushed or fine sea salt

coffee ganache filling:

• 200ml milk or double cream (the cream gives a richer filling)
• 30g coffee beans, coarsely crushed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250g chocolate (any type you prefer), roughly chopped

*250g gives a firmer filling,which I have gone for here, but you can go down to 150g for a softer filling – it is really down to choice!

(1) For the walnut crunch, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl and spoon onto a sheet of baking parchment. Leave to set and then crush coarsely. Ths will keep for many weeks in an airtight container.

(2) Melt the cocoa butter and either brush it into the mould or let droplets of it fall randomly into the mould. Chill to set.

(3) Spoon or pipe the dark chocolate into the holes, coming right to the top. Leave to set.

(4) Make the coffee ganache by heating the milk and coffee beans until it comes to the boil. Leave to cool fully so the coffee infuses the milk. Reheat and bring until it just simmers and pour over the chocolate, stirring gently until the chocolate has melted. Leave until cool and add the chocolate walnut pieces. Pipe into the set chocolate moulds, coming to within a few millimetres from the top. Chill until the ganache is a little firmer.

(5) Pipe or spoon over more chocolate. Chill for at least an hour before tapping the chocolates onto the work surface to release the chocolate.

Author: Philip

Finalist on Britain’s Best Home Cook (BBC Television 2018). Published recipe writer with a love of growing fruit & veg, cooking, teaching and eating good food. View all posts by Philip