It's A Mistake To Add Too Much Flavoring To Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles are one of those dessert items that always feel special. Perhaps it is their decadent richness or the fact that they have the element of novelty on their side. Either way, chocolate truffles make for wonderful little dessert morsels. Named after the infamously expensive fungi, you might be persuaded into thinking that, like their namesake, chocolate truffles would be all about maximizing flavor potential. To a certain extent, this is true. However, you don't want truffles overloading extra flavors, as they could overpower the chocolate core itself.

The chocolate core is, after all, the key to a good truffle. The core is made by melting together and cream so that they form a rich ganache. You can't just do this with any old chocolate, however. You need good quality baking chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa. The reason for this is that they will melt properly due to the lack of any hardening agents like butter or coconut oil. The cocoa content also helps maintain that distinct, rich chocolate flavor.

Now, while it is not altogether uncommon to add seasonings to the base of your ganache, we encourage you to keep them on the light side. Better yet, save any additional flavors to use as a coating on the outside of your truffle. This will help keep the flavors in check without overpowering the flavor of the chocolate.

While it is a good idea to keep your flavors to a relative minimum in the ganache core of the truffle, that does not mean you can't have some fun with the coatings. Truffle coatings range from matcha green tea and ground espresso to shaved coconut or tempered white chocolate. You want to look for coatings that serve to amplify the rich flavor of the inner ganache core. Just so long as you keep everything in moderation.

The simplest, most time-honored coating for truffles is just a simple dusting of cocoa powder. This was done so that they were easier to touch and wouldn't melt so quickly in someone's hand. This is the purest of all truffle forms because the chocolate really is front and center. However, you could coat your truffle with any number of chocolate-friendly flavors. Toasted almonds, simple decorating sugar, mint leaves, or even an orange and cardamom combo will all serve to add a hit of extra flavor, while still maintaining the integrity of the chocolate. Again, don't go overboard here. The chocolate core is the star of the good truffle and should be treated as such. 

While there are fruit and cream-cored truffle variations that exist, they cannot be considered proper truffles. That is reserved for the ganache core. So, if you are a fan of chocolate, make it front and center. Don't relegate it to the sides with too many flavors.