Chocolate Confections: Truffles and Balls

There are different confections and although technically it doesn't really matter what it's called as we intend the treats to go in one direction, it may be useful to learn what the proper name for them are called when you're invited out to your holiday parties this season.We can start by asking ourselves what's the difference between truffles and balls when it comes to these delicious chocolate confections.

I have been going through my recipes lately and discovered an interesting fact. Some recipes are called Truffles, but other recipes are called Balls. According to Wikipedia, Truffles are spherical shaped balls of chocolate confection bearing a likeness to the fungus mushroom known as the truffle. This basic confection has a smooth chocolate ganache center as the exterior is coated in a chocolate shell sprinkled with crushed nuts, powdered sugar, sprinkles or coconut.

The first ever truffle that has been created in the month of December 1895 in Chambery, France by N. Petruccelli. It became widely known eight years later in 1902 in a London shop known as the Prestat Chocolate Shop by Antoine Dufour. These historical truffles are known as the Napoleon III Truffles. There are three main types that are know around the world which are the European Truffle, The Swiss Truffle and The American Truffle and The Canadian Truffle.

The European Truffle favors an oil suspension within water along with the basic cocoa, syrup, powdered milk and fats. The Swiss Truffle prefers the combination of melted chocolate, cream and butter which is poured into molds and coated with coco powder when firm. These truffles must be consumed quickly before it spoils.

The American Truffle technique is the use of dark chocolate and milk chocolates combinations, fat and some times firmed coconut oil. This particular style of Truffle mastery is credited to the chocolatier and founder of the San Francisco's John Schmidt Confections in the middle of the 1980's. He uses the half egg shaped truffle. The Canadian Truffle also known as the Harvey Truffle, has an altered version of the American truffle using graham cracker crumbs and peanut butter to the traditional American recipe. The shape of the Harvey Truffles is similar to that of a peanut butter cup.

Chocolate Balls, on the other hand, isn't really a different in shape from the truffle recipe. According to Wikipedia, the chocolate ball is a round confection made from chocolate or dipped into chocolate. In addition, marzipan made from sugar and almond meal) or peanut butter may be added to chocolate balls. The difference lay in the way the confection is created. Let us discuss the differences between the two confections.

Truffles are often exclusively chocolate created with ingredients; such as alcohol, milk or cream, butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla flavor, cocoa, nuts and sometimes eggs. The chocolate must be melted in typical truffle recipes. On the other hand, confectionery balls doesn't always require heating due to the ingredients used in the recipe.

For example, the Swedish Ball Recipe calls for one half pound of butter and one and a half cups of sugar that must be creamed together. The next ingredients are two large eggs, one half cup of instant strong coffee, two teaspoons of vanilla, one cup of cocoa and four cups of uncooked quick cooking oats. The directions are to combine the ingredients together and refrigerate. For those of you who are not too keen on uncooked eggs, perhaps a powdered egg substitute or even silken tofu can replace the eggs. There are truffle recipes that don't require heating.

The Chocolate Truffle recipe is a good example of a non-heated truffles. For this recipe all one needs are two and a third cups of confectioners sugar, one half cup of butter, one half cup of cocoa powder, one and a half teaspoons of vanilla flavoring. The surprise in this recipe calls for a after dinner mint or a nut of your choice to stick in the middle of each ball (pecans, walnuts or whole almonds). Each truffle is then coated in shredded coconut, crushed nuts or confectioners sugar. Like most truffle recipes, it must be refrigerated. Whatever one chooses to make, be it truffles of balls, it is good to change them up a bit to make them interesting.

Both can be made any way you choose from strictly chocolate to a loaded recipe with a plethora of ingredients. You can take your time by the heating route or have them ready in minutes without the need to heat them.The difference between a ball and a truffle is in the way it is prepared and the style that makes it unique.