The Epitome of Luxury: Chocolate-Covered Truffles

Chocolate truffles—named due to their resemblance to a certain luxury mushroom—are heaven in a single bite. People who’re in love with each other give them to one another on Valentine’s Day, home bakers attempt the truffle-making process in their kitchens, and other folks treat themselves to a box every so often. How much do you know about chocolate-covered truffles, besides the fact that they taste incredible? Let’s learn more about the epitome of luxury: chocolate-covered truffles. Afterward, make your way to Malibu Gift’s selection of truffle gifts and pick out your favorite flavors to buy!

Origins of the Chocolate Truffle

Chocolate-covered truffles were first pioneered in Chambery, France. (No surprise there! French confectioners and chocolatiers are known the world over for their gourmet creations.) There are two main legends surrounding the creation of the first chocolate truffle.

The first legend takes us back to 1895 in the kitchen of pâtissier Louis DuFour. On Christmas Eve, as he made other chocolate treats and gifts, he decided to get a little creative. He mixed hot cream with chocolate, then let it cool, and set to a workable consistency. DuFour shaped the chocolate mixture into little balls before rolling them in cocoa powder. The treats were a smash hit, and DuFour made them a regular offering at his patisserie.

The second legend takes place in the 1920s and tells the tale of an apprentice in the kitchen of Auguste Escoffier, who was trying to make pastry cream. Instead of pouring the hot cream into the bowl of sugar and eggs, he accidentally poured it into a bowl of chocolate. As the mixture cooled, Escoffier himself found its workable substance perfect for rolling into little balls. Other folks noticed the accidental confections’ resemblance to truffle mushrooms, and Escoffier decided to call the inadvertent invention a chocolate truffle.

However, some candy experts point to both legends as the origin of chocolate ganache, not necessarily the truffle. Ganache is that combination of hot cream and chocolate. When used right away, it makes a perfectly gooey filling or coating for many cakes and candies. When cooled and set, it creates a clay-like substance that is easily shaped into balls. Ultimately, the true origin of the chocolate truffle remains unknown, but these legends make for a fun read.

Anatomy of the Chocolate Truffle

Some chocolates can look like truffles from the outside, but depending on how they’re made and what they’re filled with, they may be in their own class entirely.

The traditional French chocolate truffle is made the same way Escoffier’s apprentice accidentally made it according to the legend. French candy experts mix boiling-hot cream together with chocolate, mix it until the chocolate melts, and wait for the resulting ganache to cool and set. Then they shape the resulting clay-like mixture into balls. Afterward, they coat them in a nut powder or cocoa powder.

The Belgians created the structure of the truffle with dark chocolate before filling it with buttercream or ganache.

American truffles are made of a mixture of chocolate (dark or milk) and butterfat. Once the truffle balls are shaped and set, we cover them in chocolate, not necessarily cocoa powder. That’s why we call them chocolate-covered truffles!

Truffle-Adjacent Confections

Let’s look at other types of chocolate goodies you might find in a gourmet truffle gift box alongside the classics. They’ll look like classic truffles on the outside, they’re entirely different on the inside.

Other truffle-style candies include fruit creams with raspberries or cherries in the middle. Buttercream-filled “truffles” are not necessarily true truffles, but they follow a uniquely Belgian tradition and have been called truffles for years.

We often call truffle-like chocolates bonbons—the French term includes many variations on the truffle, with fillings from fruit puree to fresh whipped cream. When you buy an assorted box of chocolate treats from Malibu Gift, each bite is its own little surprise. What will your chocolate hold? A ganache filling makes it a true truffle, and many confectioners flavor the ganache with things like mint or champagne. That way, they stay true to the truffle’s recipe while adding their own twist.

Truffle-Worthy Occasions

Valentine’s Day is the traditional time of year to break out the chocolate gift boxes. Nothing goes better with a dozen roses than a delightful box of luxury chocolates. When couples gift truffles to one another, sharing the delicious chocolates becomes a wonderful bonding moment. Pick up a gourmet truffle gift box for your partner and spend the evening sharing them together.

Any edible gift is also a perfect option when you’re shopping for the “person who has everything.” A consumable present will delight them without taking up a permanent space in their home. Any gift-giving occasion—from wedding anniversaries to Hanukkah nights—welcomes the gift of chocolate.

If you’re attending a bridal or baby shower in the near future, chocolate truffles are a unique gift choice! A bride stressing out about wedding plans or a soon-to-be mother with a lot on her plate will welcome a box of chocolate-covered truffles. Encourage your loved one to have a self-care day! She deserves to spend an afternoon enjoying herself and savoring the truffle’s wonderful flavors.

But at the end of the day, you don’t need a special occasion to pick up a box of truffles. Buy a box of chocolate-covered truffles and assorted cream candies, and keep them all for yourself. You deserve to be pampered just as much as anyone else, so why not give yourself the gift of delicious luxury?

If you’re shopping for a special occasion or just feeding your own sweet tooth, go for a box of chocolate-covered truffles. You’ll enjoy the taste of decades of chocolate history, a uniquely rich flavor, and the decadence of luxury chocolate you can’t find at the store. Malibu Gift offers a veritable smorgasbord of chocolate candies, creams, and truffles—all packed with the deliciousness of high-quality chocolate and only the most delectable fillings. Chocolate-covered truffles are the epitome of luxury, so pick up a box (or three) today.