Chocolate Truffle History
Legend says the classic chocolate truffle began by accident in 1920s France. One of Auguste Escoffier’s apprentices made a mistake. Instead of tempering chocolate into an egg mixture, they poured boiling cream over chopped chocolate.
Refusing to waste the costly ingredients, they whisked them together. When the mixture cooled, they rolled it into little balls. To finish, they dusted the balls with cocoa powder.
The uneven shapes resembled the fungus known as truffles. And just like that, the chocolate truffle was born. Although the story may not be true, it reminds us that mistakes can lead to wonderful creations.
In America today, the word “truffle” often describes any chocolate candy filled with cream. These candies may contain caramel, nuts, fruit, or even liqueurs. However, the original French truffle sticks to tradition.
A French chocolate truffle always uses a ganache center. It’s rolled in tempered chocolate, chopped nuts, or cocoa powder. At its simplest, ganache combines two parts quality chocolate and one part cream. Hot cream melts the chocolate, and the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Once chilled, the ganache is scooped and rolled into balls.
Despite their fancy reputation, chocolate truffles are simple to make. Try them as gifts or elegant desserts with just a little effort!
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