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Hi Bold Bakers!
Rich, creamy, absolutely delicious! My Rich Chocolate & Hazelnut Torrone is everything you could want in a dessert. The flavors are universally loved (chocolate, more chocolate, and some hazelnuts for good measure!), it’s one of the simplest things you can make, and it’s perfect for gift-giving!
My homemade chocolate and hazelnut torrone tastes like a million-dollar jar of Nutella. And, despite being so easy to make, it looks beautiful. Hidden inside that dark chocolate shell is a creamy mixture, almost like fudge, of white chocolate, milk chocolate, and Nutella. Once you cut into, you see a beautiful scattering of toasted hazelnuts.
This is an incredibly rich dessert, so a little goes a long way! Slice a small piece and enjoy it with a cup of tea, then store the leftovers throughout the holidays for whenever you need a chocolate pick-me-up. This recipe is a part of my Bold Baking Holidays Worldwide series — where I’m sharing lovely holiday recipes from around the world. Check my Holiday Baking Headquarters for the full list!
What Is Chocolate And Hazelnut Torrone
Torrone is a traditional nougat that’s eaten around Christmas time in Italy. Typically, you’ll find torrone made with honey, sugar, egg whites, and usually some nuts. This treat is said to be older than Roman times!
But this is 2020, so I’ve updated the tastes. My torrone is made with three different types of chocolate, Nutella, and toasted hazelnuts.
The Type Of Chocolate
I always suggest using the highest quality chocolate you can find, especially since this is a recipe that relies heavily on the chocolate! I use bittersweet (72%) chocolate to help round out the semi-sweet (60%) and white chocolate. But if you love sweeter chocolate, feel free to use semi-sweet instead of bittersweet for the outer shell!
What You Need To Make Chocolate And Hazelnut Torrone
- Measuring Cups
- Heat safe bowl
- 9 x 5″ loaf pan
How To Make Chocolate And Hazelnut Torrone
This recipe couldn’t be easier: just melt some chocolate, let it sit in the fridge, and you’re just about good to go! Here is how you make chocolate and hazelnut torrone (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):
- Melt 1 cup of the bittersweet chocolate (in a heat-safe bowl) either in the microwave or over a bain-marie.
- Pour about 1/2 cups of the melted chocolate onto the sides and bottoms of a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. This is the outer shell of the torrone. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set.
- Remove the pan from the fridge and repeat step 2 with the remaining melted bittersweet chocolate. Put it back in the refrigerator to set.
- Melt the milk chocolate, white chocolate, and Nutella as you did in step 1. Once it is completely melted, add in the toasted hazelnuts and stir. Set it aside to cool for 20 minutes before moving on.
- Once cooled, pour the chocolate and hazelnut filling into the pan coated with the dark chocolate. Spread the mixture evenly. Gentle tap the loaf pan on the counter to release any air bubbles and then refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Melt the remaining 1/3 cup of bittersweet chocolate and pour it over the cooled filling. Refrigerate the torrone for about 2 hours, or until it is fully set. Be sure to let it stand at room temperature for an hour before slicing and serving!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Chocolate And Hazelnut Torrone
- Chocolate is best eaten at room temperature. Allow the torrone to sit out of the fridge for an hour before serving.
- If you are using the microwave to melt your chocolate, do it in 30-second increments. Be sure not to let your chocolate burn!
- You can use store-bought Nutella, or you can use my homemade Nutella!
- Share the love! Chocolate torrone is a perfect gift for the holidays! Either wrap up a few slices or go big and gift an entire pan’s worth!
- If you don’t want a bittersweet (72%) chocolate, then semi-sweet (60%) is perfectly fine!
How Do I Store Leftover Chocolate And Hazelnut Torrone
The beauty of a torrone (besides its taste) is its shelflife! You can store your torrone in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 6 months.
Make More Holiday Recipes!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Rich Chocolate & Hazelnut Torrone Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (9oz/260g) chopped bittersweet chocolate divided
- 1 cup (6oz/170g) milk chocolate roughly chopped
- 2 cups (12oz/340g) white chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 ¾ (14oz/400g) Nutella (or any hazelnut spread)
- 2 ¼ cups (11oz/320g toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
- In a heat-safe bowl melt over 1 cup (7oz/200g) bittersweet chocolate either over a ban Marie or gently in the microwave.
- Pour roughly ½ (3 ½oz/100g) of the melted chocolate on the sides and the bottom of a 9 x 5 " loaf pan, forming the outer shell of the torrone. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set.
- Remove the loaf pan from the fridge and repeat the process again swirling around the remaining ½ (3 ½oz/100g) of melted bittersweet chocolate. Place back in the fridge to set.
- Melt the milk chocolate, white chocolate, and Nutella the same way as above. When completely melted, add in the toasted hazelnuts and stir. Set aside to cool down for 20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
- Once cooled, pour the hazelnut filling into the pan coated with dark chocolate and spread the mixture evenly. Gently tap the loaf pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Take the remaining ⅓ cup (2oz/60g) of bittersweet chocolate, melt it, and then pour it over the cooled filling. Refrigerate your chocolate hazelnut torrone for about 2 hours or until fully set. Let it stand at room temperature for an hour before slicing and enjoying. Store torrone in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Hi Gemma, I’d love to see a video on this recipe pls
Hi Gemma! I am wondering if the loaf will come out easily from the pan without sticking the Chocolate. Or do I need to rub some butter before I pour the melted chocolate on the side and the bottom. What is the best type of pan to use for this? Thank you.
Hi Gemma,
This looks like a fabulous edible Christmas gift. Thanks for posting this.
Question: can I make this in a glass bowl instead of a loaf pan? Would it come out better? Or is lining the loaf pan with cling film the way to go? I would love to get that smooth shell yours has.
Thanks ????
Hi Gemma,
This was my 2nd time making this. I made them in a muffin pan (posted picture) because I wanted the flexibility of making a smaller batch since these are so addictive. Turned out just as tasty, and was easy to get out of the mold.
As always, thanks for a perfect recipe Gemma.
U hve a video on how to make this?
Do these chocolates need tempered?
Yum! huge fan of the chocolate and hazelnut combination 🙂 Would blanched and roasted hazelnuts work for this recipe?
That looks delicious
I made this and it was amazingly good, but also equally expensive – not something that I would make too often. I didn’t oil my non-stick pan and it came out easily; just flipped it over and gave it a good bang. Also, I used dark chocolate since I didn’t have bittersweet. If anything it made it even more decadent.
Hi Gemma,
Should I melt the milk and white chocolate together, or separately? & do I need to warm up the Nutella a little before mixing, or is room temperature okay?
I’m thinking of making it into little balls this time, like truffles ☺️. Any suggestions?
Thanks a bunch.