According to legend, the classic chocolate truffle was invented by accident in the 1920s in France. One of chef Auguste Escoffier’s apprentices poured boiling hot cream over chopped chocolate instead of tempering it into an egg mixture. Not wanting to throw out the expensive mistake, they whisked it together and discovered that, when it cooled, it could be rolled into little balls. They then dusted them with cocoa powder. Immigrants brought the recipe with them to America and today the rich candy is enjoyed as a dessert or snack throughout the country.
Recipe Servings: 24
Prep Time
30 minutes
+ 1 hour resting
+ 1 hour resting
Cook Time
5 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking cocoa
- ⅞ cup heavy cream
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Directions
- Pour baking cocoa into a shallow dish or rimmed plate and line a baking sheet or platter with parchment. Set both aside until needed.
- Pour cream into a saucepan and place it over medium heat until it steams.
- Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it, stirring until the chocolate melts and is incorporated.
- Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 60 minutes to 2 hours, until solid all the way through.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of the chilled mixture, quickly shape it into a ball, roll the ball in the baking cocoa to coat, and place it on the parchment-lined sheet. Repeat this process until all the chocolate is used. If chocolate becomes too soft to handle, chill it again.
- Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2025 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.