The chocolate truffle is a Wockenfuss staple. When strolling down the aisles of one of our stores, or clicking through our website, those tiny spherical treats are always appealing to a sweet tooth of any age. The next time you’re mulling over which decadent morsel to choose from, consider the rich history of that chocolate truffle.
Did You Know?
The chocolate truffle actually gets its name from a fungus. Tuber melanosporum, or the black truffle, is a species of truffle native to Southern Europe. It’s one of the most expensive edible mushrooms in the world. When the French first created the chocolate truffle by rolling ganache into a ball, they named it after the fungus because of its similarities to the decadent mushroom.
Legend Says…
The chocolate truffle was supposedly created in the kitchen of Auguste Escoffier during the 1920s. According to legend, one day as his apprentice attempted to make pastry cream, he accidentally poured the hot cream into a bowl of chocolate rather than the intended bowl of sugared egg. As the chocolate and cream mixture hardened, Escoffier found that he could work the chocolate concoction with his hands to form a ball – hence the chocolate truffle!
Types of Truffles
Each country has since personalized the truffle to be made a specific way. When you travel to France, you may taste a difference in their truffle recipe. The French truffle is made with fresh cream and chocolate and then rolled in cocoa powder or nut powder. The Belgian truffle, or praline, is made with dark chocolate and then filled with ganache or buttercream. And the American truffle is a mixture of dark or milk chocolates with butterfat, which is then coated in chocolate.
Truffle Imposters
A truffle is a ball or square of ganache coated in chocolate. Although some candies appear to be truffles by shape, they’re in a class of their own. Fruit cremes, whipped cream-filled chocolates, and any other filled chocolate candies are not considered truffles. At Wockenfuss, we stay true to the name of the chocolate truffle. All of our specialty truffles have a rich and smooth chocolate ganache center, protected with a delicious chocolate outer shell.
In the Mood for a Chocolate Truffle?
Since 1915, Wockenfuss has been a family owned and operated business creating the finest confections in Baltimore, Maryland. With our nine convenient locations throughout Maryland, there is sure to be a Wockenfuss store near you. Come visit us to see our selection of fall favorites such as chocolate trufflesand caramel apples. We’d be happy to help you select the perfect sweet treat, whether for you or as a gift for a loved one. If you have any questions about our sweet seasonal candies, please contact Wockenfuss Candies by calling us at 1-800-296-4414 or emailing info@Wockenfusscandies.com. When you’re not savoring our sweets, stay satisfied by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest too!