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GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN INDULGENCES FROM LONDON CULINARY QUEEN BETTINA BORDI CAMPOLUCCI

Hazelnut bites

MAKES 10 SMALL BITES

½ cup hazelnuts, plus 10 whole hazelnuts for the middle

¾ cup almond flour

3 tbsp cacao powder

¼ cup coconut oil

2 tbsp peanut butter

3 dates, pitted

FOR THE COATING

200g dark chocolate bar,

90% or 70% cocoa solids

FOR THE TOPPINGS

Chopped hazelnuts

Dried flower petals (for

special occasions)

1 Place the hazelnuts in a small blender and blitz until you get a flour-like consistency. Then pulse until the mix becomes slightly sticky. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blitz until you get a sticky, fine mixture.

2 Spoon out bite-sized portions of mixture, place a hazelnut in the middle and wrap around it to form a ball, then place on a plate lined with greaseproof paper. Do this until you have around 10 bite-sized balls, then place them in the fridge to set for 10-15 minutes.

3 In the meantime, break the chocolate into a bain marie – place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with some boiling water in the bottom, but without the bowl touching the water, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has melted. Remove the bowl from the pan. 4 Line a chopping board or plate with greaseproof paper. Get the balls out of the fridge and gently dip and roll them in the melted chocolate until fully covered. Place the balls on the paper and top with the chopped hazelnuts and some dried flower petals. Place in the fridge to set.