Chocolate Hedgehogs

Chocolate Hedgehogs or Ježki in Slovenian are a very popular dessert, especially among the kids. They are a truffle-like confectionery made with Petit-Beurre cookie crumbs, chocolate, cocoa, powdered sugar, ground nuts, orange juice and rum flavoring (optional). When I was a child there was a time when I would order exclusively ježki whenever we would go to a confectionery store. When they are sold in stores they are often shaped in balls and rolled in coconut flour or chocolate sprinkles. If you are pressed for time, you can always prepare them this way. In the recipe below they are shaped into actual hedgehogs (a big hit with the kids).

Recipe

Dough

• 250 g Petit Beurre cookies

• 50 g dark chocolate

• 50 g cocoa powder

• 100 g ground hazelnuts

• 100 g ground almonds

• 100 g powdered sugar

• 200 g butter

• 100 ml orange juice

• 50 ml milk

• rum flavoring, to taste (optional)*

Decoration

• Smarties or other candy for the eyes and the nose

• almond sticks (about 100 g)

• chocolate sprinkles

• dark chocolate, melted

*rum flavoring does not contain alcohol and is suitable for kids.

Instructions:

1. Pulse the Petit Beurre cookies and dark chocolate in a food processor until you get a mixture of crumbs and chocolate powder. Slice the butter into small pieces and add them to the ground cookies and chocolate. Add ground almonds and hazelnuts, powdered sugar and cocoa and pulse.

2. Add orange juice and milk and continue pulsing until you get a firm uniform dough.

3. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for at least two hours, so that the dough cools down and hardens.

Making Chocolate Hedgehogs with Almond Sticks

1. Take about 85 g of dough (for the size depicted in the picture - you can make hedgehogs of various sizes), shape it into a ball. Flatten and narrow the ball on one side as depicted in the picture above.

2. Take white candy and use melted chocolate to create pupils for the eyes. Press gently to the face of the hedgehog. Press one Smartie or other candy for the nose of the hedgehog.

3. Use almond sticks to create quills for the hedgehog. Decorate with berries or mint leaves (optional).

Shape a piece of dough into a ball and flatten on one side.

Use a Smartie or other candy as the nose of the hedgehog.

Use melted chocolate to create pupils for the eyes.

Use almond sticks to create quills for the hedgehog.

Gently press the white candy to the hedgehog.

As decoration place berries or mint leaves on the back of the hedgehog.

Making Chocolate Hedgehogs with Chocolate Sprinkles

1. Take about 85 g of dough (for the size depicted in the picture - you can make hedgehogs of various sizes), shape it into a ball. Flatten and narrow the ball on one side as depicted in the picture above.

2. Dip the non-flattened part of the hedgehog into melted chocolate and then roll it in chocolate sprinkles.

3. Take white candy and use melted chocolate to create pupils for the eyes. Press gently to the face of the hedgehog. Press one Smartie or other candy for the nose of the hedgehog.