If you like chocolate and bite-sized ones at that, then you are in for a treat because truffles, which are these bite-sized chocolate spheres, have a day dedicated to them. At least, the US has a day dedicated to truffles that are traditionally made from rich chocolate and a whole lot of cream and cocoa powder.
Etymology and “Lump”
With roots in France, the name "truffle" is not exactly what you might think it means like perfect is linked to parfait. The word "truffle" stems from the Latin word "tuber," meaning "lump" and this term eventually transformed into "tufer" and finally arrived at the modern-day "truffle". One theory suggests that the name for this treat may have been inspired by its resemblance to the highly prized truffle mushroom. The earliest versions of the chocolate truffle had an irregular, lumpy shape, so, it's easy to see how the name could have drawn a connection to the irregularly shaped fungi.
Where did Truffles come from?
Truffles are essentially French and the original chocolate truffle was a ball of ganache, made with chocolate and cream, then flavored and hand-rolled in cocoa powder. This little ball of mouth-watering delight was named after the prized black truffle because it resembled the prized fungus and when covered in cocoa powder, it also resembled the soil from the forest floor where truffles grow.
The origins of the chocolate truffle are a little unclear, some claim it was invented in Paris at Patisserie Siravdin around 1850, while others believe it originated in Switzerland. It is also said that N. Petruccelli of Chambery, France created truffles in 1895 during the wintry month of December. His recipe was used by the Prestat Chocolate Shop in London and popularized beyond France, and the shop even today sells the "Napoleon III '' truffles following the original recipe. Another one, which is perhaps the most intriguing story, involves French celebrity chef Georges Auguste Escoffier in the 1920s, who was said to have created it in his kitchen.
It is said that one day, an apprentice of his accidentally poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate instead of eggs while making pastry cream. Escoffier in true angry chef lingo shouted "Ganache," a derogatory French term meaning "fool" or "idiot". The chef had rushed to rescue the mixture, but he noticed an emulsion forming, bonding the liquid and chocolate together. He realized he could use this liquid in dishes like Pear Belle Helene, pour it into baked pastry cases for tarte au chocolat, or use it as a sauce or glaze.
As the chocolate and cream mixture cooled and hardened, it dawned on Escoffier that he could work it with his hands to form bumpy, walnut-sized balls. After rolling his new creation in cocoa powder, he realized these balls resembled the expensive truffles from the Périgord region of France and the Piedmont area of Italy, where they are hunted with dogs (previously, pigs were used but they would end up eating most of the fungus). And thus were born chocolate truffles.
As the concept of these chocolate balls further developed, different truffles were created by cutting them into squares or rolling the ganache-filled center with different coatings. The most popular was icing sugar, closely followed by chopped nuts and with time liquor and also spices found their way into any of the coating of the truffles.
Ingredients
Instructions
5. Roll the balls in sprinkles, cocoa powder, chopped nuts or dip them into melted chocolate to finish them. You can eat them for 1-2 weeks if you store them in an air-tight jar.