What is a Chocolate Truffle?

A chocolate truffle is a small somewhat spherical confection with a creamy chocolate center and a hard chocolate shell. Ganache is the word most commonly used to describe the center of a chocolate truffle. It is a mixture of cream and chocolate and often includes creative additions such as nuts, fruits, and liqueurs. In fact, many truffles vary dramatically in their contents and coatings so that they don't look anything alike.

No matter what you are looking for in a chocolate truffle, you can be certain that you will find a mouthful of delight, and of course, a smile. Where does the term "Truffle" come from? The original dessert truffle was the mushroom/fungi that were popular throughout the course of history (they were mentioned in The Bible and in the works of Plato). The mushroom version of the truffle first encountered the chocolate version of the truffle in the 1600's when chocolate became popular in England.

At some point in the evolution of the desserts, the mushroom truffle was coated or layered with chocolate. It has been theorized that the chocolate truffle took its name from the mushroom truffle. Both are desserts soft in the center, and highly sought after. Mushroom truffles are still "hunted" today, and enjoyed by purists who prefer the fungi dessert. In fact, they are considered a rare delicacy because they are hard to find. But the chocolate truffles that we now know and love are quite different - pure chocolate, pure delight. And of course, much easier to find.