Homemade Italian Chocolate Kisses – Baci
Italian Chocolate kisses, a fast and easy no bake recipe. Only four ingredients needed to make one of the most popular Italian chocolates.
I live in a divided house, there are the Baci Chocolate lovers and the Ferrero Roche Chocolate lovers, I on the other hand will take either.
My eldest daughter loves Baci Chocolates so much I made her a decadent over the top Baci Chocolate Cake for her birthday.
The Italian and his youngest daughter can go through a box of Ferrero Roche faster than anyone I have ever seen!
How to Temper Chocolate
- To temper chocolate all you need is a bowl, a pan and a thermometer.
- You can use either a double boiler or place a bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water).
- Use a good quality chocolate (be sure to chop it into pieces) keep aside a quarter of the chocolate in a separate bowl to add later.
- Bring the water in your saucepan to a simmer.
- Using a silicone spatula continuously stir the chocolate until it is melted and smooth.
- Place your theremometer in the chocolate and bring it to –
- 118F (48C) for Dark Chocolate
- 112F (45C) for Milk Chocolate
- Remove the bowl of chocolate from the saucepan and carefully wipe the steam from bottom of the bowl.
- Do not let even one drop of water fall into the chocolate because it will cause the chocolate to seize and then your chocolate is completely ruined! So please be careful!
- Then add the remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate, this will help bring down the temperature of the chocolate.
- Keep stirring until the temperature of the chocolate reaches –
- 89-90F (32C) for Dark Chocolate
- 86-88F (30C) for Milk Chocolate
Now you are ready to dip your chocolates!
Baci Chocolates – A little background
The Baci was born in Perugia in 1922, in a small chocolate company with only 15 employees, the chocolate was invented by the manager Luisa, this famous chocolate was actually originally named “Luisa” after her.
She originally wanted to call the chocolate “Cazzotto / Punch” because it reminded her of the knuckles of a clenched fist, how romantic is that?
Thank goodness the naming of the chocolate was not up to Luisa. In 1924 the Bacio Chocolate was born, with it’s blue and silver packaging and romantic note hidden inside. It became the best selling Valentine’s Day Chocolate in Italy.
How to store the Homemade Chocolates
The chocolates should keep for up to a week at room temperature, in an airtight container, if your house is warm I would keep them in the fridge. You could also loosely wrap them in plastic wrap and tie the ends with a string or ribbon for gift giving.
More Delicious Chocolate Recipes
- Homemade Gianduiotto Chocolates
- Homemade Double Chocolate Easter Eggs
- Double Chocolate Crispy Treats
So if you feel like making some decadent Italian Chocolate you can start with these Italian Chocolate Kisses – Baci. Enjoy!
Homemade Italian Chocolate Kisses – Baci
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE KISSES
- 2 ounces milk chocolate (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon butter (12 grams)
- ¾ cup finely ground hazelnuts (50 grams)
- ¼ cup Nutella (75 grams)
- 14 whole roasted hazelnuts
CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING
- 4.7 ounces dark chocolate (135 grams)
Instructions
CHOCOLATE KISSES
- Roast the whole hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for approximately 5-8 minutes in a preheated 350F (180C) oven, remove them from the cookie sheet and place in a bowl to cool. Do not let them cool on the cookie sheet or they will bake even more (not a good idea, they could burn).
- In a medium bowl over a medium pot of water (bain-marie) add the milk chocolate and butter, melt together and mix until smooth. Let cool, then mix in the Nutella and ground nuts. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for approximately 15 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the fridge and form into 14 balls, place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet or freezer safe plate, slightly flatten the top of each chocolate ball and place one whole hazelnut on each. Place the chocolates in the freezer for 30 minutes.
CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING
- While the chocolates are in the freezer start to make the dipping chocolate, place ¾ of the chocolate in a bowl on top of a small pot of water (make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl, bring the water in the pot to a simmer. Using a spatula continuously stir the chocolate until it is melted and smooth. Then place a thermometer in the chocolate and bring it to 118F (48C) for Dark Chocolate or 112F (45C) for Milk Chocolate.
- Remove the bowl of chocolate from the pot and carefully wipe the steam from bottom of the bowl. Do not let even one drop of water fall into the chocolate because it will cause the chocolate to seize and then your chocolate is completely ruined! So please be careful! Add the remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate, this will help bring down the temperature of the chocolate. Keep stirring until the temperature of the chocolate reaches 89-90F (32C) for Dark Chocolate 86-88F (30C) for Milk Chocolate.
- Remove the chocolates from the freezer and dip in the cooled chocolate, place the dipped chocolates back on the plate, let the chocolate harden, can be placed in the fridge to harden, serve. Enjoy!
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I love all of your recipes and I am so glad that you have shared this us all but I have 2 questions. Can the finished product be wrapped in foil and kept at room temp – or do they need to stay refrigerated?
Also, just for curiosity, are Baci the ones WITHOUT the hazelnut on top – and Ferrero Roche the ones with the whole hazelnut on the top?
Or are they both just versions of Baci?
Hi Andrea, thanks so much, glad you enjoy the recipes. The chocolates should keep for up to a week at room temperature, in an air tight container, if your house is warm I would keep them in the fridge. I don’t know about wrapped in foil, might be better loosely wrapped in plastic wrap tied with a string or ribbon. Ferrero Rocher has a creamy filling inside a crunchy ball while baci is more of a soft chocolate filling with pieces of walnuts and a whole hazelnut on top. Hope that helps. Take care!
Oh My Gosh, Rosemary…
My Papa was raised in Upstate NY. He moved 6 of his 7 brothers and sisters to CA in the 60’s. When we were kids growing up, we couldn’t get Bacios in California, so my Papa ordered them from a place in NY a few times a year.
On Sundays if we were good all week and did our chores we would either get 1 or 2 Baci chocolates. The reason I loved them so much was bcuz of the little msgs inside in Italian, English, etc. I saved them all. I still have a bunch of them.
I found this recipe and am Sooo excited!
My Pop moved back to New Jersey about 10 yrs ago.
So for Christmas I’m going to make these and send them to him with my own Italian msgs.
Grazie, Grazie!
He will be so surprised!
As a side note. . I come from a long line of Italian bakers, chefs and pastry chefs!
Hi Kimberley, thanks so much, what a wonderful story. So glad I could help out and I hope your father enjoys them. Have a great week.
Thank you for this .I am a chocolate eater love it even though I’m diabetes ,still injoying it
Hi Kim, thanks so much, take care with your diabetes. Have a great weekend.
Ferrerro Rocher is literally my fav! I can’t wait to make these! Yes, myself and hubby and he doesn’t do hazelnut so YES, all for me, and maybe a cpl for company to show your recipe off!
Hi Christina, thanks, lucky you all for you (maybe). Have a great rest of the day.
I love those Ferrero rocher chocolates, but Baci are my favorite. You recreated them so well, and just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Hi Linda, thanks so much, and yes can’t get much better than chocolates 🙂
I know those treats will be out of this world good. I don’t ususally eat sweets – not because I don’t like them, because Hubby would eat them before I could get to them. I’ve got to try this recipe and set a few of them aside for me.
Hi Marisa, thanks and I hope you get to try them! 🙂
What is milk chocolate?
Hi Amanda, well it’s what most chocolate bars are made of and it contains powder milk. https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/how-chocolate-is-made7.htm hope this helps.
I’ve made these delightful treats so successfully, and they were remarkably similar to the Baci I often buy at my local Italian deli. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe, which I am looking forward to making another batch! 😋
Hi Yumi, thanks, so glad you like the Baci chocolates. Have a great week.