Do Chocolate Truffles Actually Contain Real Truffles?

Any chocolate lover worth their cocoa can sniff out a truffle. The iconic confection, consisting of a chocolate ganache center and a perfectly powdery cocoa exterior (though some have a chocolate shell), is as simple as it is delicious. Its name, however, is quite beguiling. Named for the similarly spherical mushroom, it may leave one to wonder: Are there any truffles in a chocolate truffle? Well, no. The shared name comes from the fact that chocolate truffles, particularly the ones dusted in cocoa, bear a striking resemblance to the mushroom.

However, in terms of taste, these two foods are incredibly different. The oft-hunted, dirt-dwelling truffles are a potent and savory addition to many meals, and feature an earthy, savory, sometimes garlic-like taste. They're often shaved on top of dishes to give a strong, savory flourish. Truffle oil, which often contains no actual truffle, but is a facsimile of the mushroom's taste, is also a common additive to dishes such as french fries. Chocolate truffles, on the other hand, are meant to be consumed in one (or two) bites, and are very sweet, with chocolate as the dominant taste, though they are often infused with other ingredients, such as liqueurs and syrups, which can give them more complexity.

While chocolate truffles do not usually contain actual truffles, this doesn't mean that the twain shan't ever meet. In fact, you can buy truffle infused chocolate truffles online. If you'd prefer to make your own, there are several recipes for truffle oil infused chocolate truffle recipes. And as it turns out, truffles are pretty easy to add to chocolate truffles, since (mushroom) truffles are often found in oil form. Simply add in a small amount of truffle oil (less than a half a teaspoon per batch) to your ganache mixture, along with butter for an extra shiny, delicious ganache.

Now, you will want to be mindful as whether you should pick white or black truffles, as there are a few differences between the two. Black truffle is the more common of the two, and has a heartier flavor. Black truffle is intense in taste with a strong, earthy, and umami twist. White truffles are much more expensive, but also much more delicate, and have a brighter taste that is often compared to garlic. For truffle-infused chocolate truffles, black truffle will probably be your best bet in terms of price and taste. The intense, earthy taste of black truffle will go very well with dark chocolate. Truffle oil works best for infusing your truffle with the mushroom flavor, but be sure to go for a high quality oil as to avoid the artificial taste of fake truffle oil. And remember that this combination is unique to say the least and may not work for everyone. But, hey, it's well worth trying at least once, just to bring two truffles together.