Chocolate truffle

A chocolate truffle is a French chocolate confectionery traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center and coated in cocoa powder, coconut, or chopped nuts. A chocolate truffle is handrolled into a spherical or ball shape. The name derives from the chocolate truffle's similarity in appearance to truffles, a tuber fungus.

Over the years, many varieties appeared under different names:

Other styles include:

Chocolate truffles were created in the city of Chambéry by the pastry chef Louis Dufour on Christmas Day in 1895.

In the 1980s, demand for chocolate truffles in the United States increased dramatically; before 1980 they had been very uncommon in the country. As of 2005, although consumption had declined, the confections were still well regarded.