Homemade Rocher

This is how to make Rocher at home! In his beautiful cookbook Giuseppe's Easy Bakes, Giuseppe Dell'Anno, winner of The Great British Bake Off, shares his version of these iconic chocolate treats. 

The combination of chocolate and hazelnuts is a winner and the optional gold layer turns them into a beautiful gift. They are absolutely delicious and super easy to make.

Meaning 'rock' in French, rocher became a synonym of elegant chocolate treats when Michele Ferrero, the same man who launched Nutella in 1964, invented the famous hazelnut pralines in 1979. Their production process is a heavily guarded secret and, to this day, only a handful of people know how they get coated in chocolate, yet remain perfectly round with no hint of  a flat base forming while the chocolate sets... Giuseppe's own version of rocher is certainly more accessible than Ferrero's and it produces equally delicious treats, infused with his top-favourite flavour combination: chocolate and hazelnuts. The optional layer of gold dust will turn your homemade rocher into a truly luxurious present, worthy of ambassadors and diplomats alike.

​Makes: 12

Ingredients:

• ​100g (3 1/2 oz) Loacker Napolitaner wafers
• 100g (3/4 cup) chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 100g (1/3 cup) chocolate and hazelnut spread
• 12 whole blanched and toasted hazelnuts
• 150g (5 1/2 oz) dark chocolate chips, or bar broken into small pieces (50-55% cocoa solids)
• Edible gold dust, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. ​Crush the wafers by hand into small pieces, put them in a bowl large enough to accommodate all the ingredients and add half the chopped hazelnuts. Put the chocolate and hazelnut spread in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave it just long enough to soften; 20 seconds should be enough. Add the softened spread to the wafer mix and combine. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Line a chopping board with baking paper. Once the mixture has cooled and looks firm enough to handle, divide it into 12 equal lumps, each about  20g (3/4oz). Push a whole hazelnut in each lump, shape them as balls by rolling them between the palms of your hands then arrange them over the lined chopping board. This task is easier if you are wearing powder-free disposable gloves. Place the shaped pralines in the freezer to firm up for at least 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate by microwaving it at full power for 1 minute. Stir well with a silicone spatula and, if bits of solid chocolate remain, give it subsequent 10-second bursts in the microwave, stirring well between bursts, until all the chocolate has melted. Add the remaining chopped hazelnuts to the chocolate and stir to combine. Drop each rocher in the chocolate mixture, one at a time, then lift it out with a fork, allow the excess chocolate to drip back in the bowl and return it to the lined chopping board to set.
4. For a touch of glamour, once the chocolate is set, drop the rocher, one at a time, in a small plastic bag, along with the tip of a teaspoon of gold dust. Hold the bag closed and shake it gently so the gold dust coats the rocher completely. Carefully transfer the coated rocher to a serving  plate. Repeat with the rest, adding more gold dust to the bag as needed. Rocher are best stored in an airtight container and served at room temperature; they should be used within 1 week.

Watch the recipe video

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