What Is a Chocolate Truffle?

Chocolate truffles are one of those incredible candies that are so sweet and so perfect, it’s hard to think of many decadent desserts that could top them. Whether you’re the ultimate homemade candy confectioner, or you’ve just visited a candy shop and have wondered, “what is a chocolate truffle?“, we’re here to break it down for you.

What Are Chocolate Truffles?

Chocolate truffles are a type of hard chocolate candy filled with a smooth ganache filling. They are often rolled in cocoa powder, coconut or chopped nuts as a decorative garnish. Although ganache is the typical filling for a classic chocolate truffle, like any dessert, they are meant to be experimented with. Marshmallow cream, fruit filling, caramel and even liqueurs are all popular additions to the inside of a truffle.

Why Do We Call Them Chocolate Truffles?

So if a truffle is a type of fungi that grows underground, what is a chocolate truffle in comparison? You can rest assured they’re not part of the same culinary family. If you’ve ever seen a truffle from the fungi family, you’ll know that they look oddly similar to a lump of chocolate. Thus, when chocolate truffles were created (legend has it in 1920s Paris) they were named after the fungus they so closely resembled. Luckily there’s no resemblance in taste!

How to Make Chocolate Truffles

Like chocolate covered strawberries or fudge recipes, chocolate truffles are meant to be shared and savored. To make a batch, you start by melting chocolate chips with warmed sweetened condensed milk. You then let that mixture chill until the chocolate is firm enough to roll into small balls. Once formed, the chocolate balls can be dipped in tempered chocolate, drizzled with icing, rolled in your favorite topping or enjoyed plain.

You can follow our guide on how to make chocolate truffles to get started, and then let your creativity run wild in the kitchen. Once you get the hang of it, here are more easy truffle recipes to try. They’re perfect for Christmas dessert tins, Valentine’s Day sweets or birthday delicacies.

Chocolate Truffle Recipes

The best part about chocolate truffles is that you can make varied flavors all from one batch, or make a few batches of totally different types of truffles.

White chocolate truffles are perfect when you need winter-themed desserts for a party (hello, snowballs you can actually eat!). If you like getting adventurous with your sweet tooth, try these chocolate mascarpone truffles. And, because we couldn’t resist, these 3-ingredient Oreo balls are irresistible for the kids and the kids at heart.