Directions
Grinding the Walnuts
Grind the walnuts in a food processor or blender, and then put them through a sifter.
I know this is tedious; but, although I usually say that sifting isn't necessary, for this
recipe it is very important that the walnuts be very finely ground, almost like flour.
Mixing the Centres
Put the ground walnuts and icing sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the egg white, and blend
together with a spurtle or wooden spoon. Then let the dough stand for an hour:
this will give the egg white a chance to be absorbed into the dry ingredients, making the
dough easier to handle.
Shaping the Centres
Place a large sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface—putting it on a baking sheet is
convenient, since you will probably want your kitchen counter clear for use for other things
later on, and you can simply pick up the baking sheet with everything on it and move the
whole lot somewhere else.
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Dust your hand with icing sugar to help with the rolling, since the dough will still
be somewhat sticky. You may need to re-dust your hand partway through as the sugar
gets damp.
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Scoop out a small quantity of the dough with a teaspoon, and roll it in the palm of your hand
to form a small ball.
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As each ball is rolled, place it on the sheet of waxed paper.
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Leave the centres overnight. They will dry a little, forming a slight crust on the
surface.
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Dipping the Centres
In the top of a double boiler, melt the squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Be sure not to
let the melted chocolate scorch, nor let any steam get into it.
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Put the centres in a bowl. This frees up the sheet of waxed
paper, so you can reuse it.
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Slide a plastic chocolate dipper or a fork under one of the centres, lift it, and dip it into
the chocolate.
(NOTE: If you are using a fork, slide it under the centre. Do not try
to spear the centre—it'll just break into two pieces.)
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Roll the centre over in the melted chocolate to coat it on both
sides. Then lift it gently out, and put it on the waxed paper. Repeat with each
of the other centres, placing them on the paper far enough apart so the liquid chocolate coating
them will not touch.
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Set the baking sheet with the chocolates aside until the coating is firm. This can be
sped up by putting them in a cool place.
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Storage
When the coating is hard, remove the chocolates and store them in a tin in a cool place, such
as a pantry or one of the lower racks of the refrigerator.
Makes several dozen chocolates.
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