Truffle Making in the South End

Posted by Andrea Hood, guest blogger of Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be Local

With all of the Groupon, LivingSocial, and numerous other online deals currently circulating the web, it can be difficult to decide which deal to purchase. Do you buy the deal for half-off a romantic dinner, the home décor to brighten up your walls, or the fun activity to do with a loved one?
I personally tend to venture towards the restaurants and food-related activities, as I am a self-proclaimed foodie with a love for anything and everything having to do with food.
So, after a friend of mine bought a deal for a truffle making class at Chocolee Chocolates in Boston’s South End, I asked if I could tag along for a fun night of chocolate making — and boy am I glad I did!
The deal was purchased back during the summer, but the truffle making classes at Chocolee book up pretty quickly (apparently, there are many people looking for how to make melt-in-your-mouth treats!), so we had to wait until mid-October to take our class.
Chocolee Chocolates is located on a quaint, old South End street lined with brick sidewalks, in a cozy shop that makes your mouth water as soon as you walk through the door.
We arrived aprons in hand, eager to learn how to make truffles. We were greeted by the friendly owner, Lee, who showed us to the kitchen in the back of the shop where our class would be held.
Once all of the participants arrived, about 20 of us in total, Lee gave a brief description of her history as a chef, as well as some basic kitchen safety tips, and an overview of how the truffles are prepared. She then led us into the kitchen where she had various stations set up, inviting us students to take a try at whichever station we would like.
We set up at the truffle rolling station. She scooped the chocolate, and placed it in my hands as I tried to roll it into a perfectly round truffle ball… noticed I said tried! Surprised at how quickly the chocolate softened and nearly melted in my hands, we learned to work quick to form these little chocolate balls.
As we worked at different stations to help create the truffles, Lee walked around guiding us students and giving us helpful tips and techniques in our truffle making tasks. Many of the students ventured to other stations, trying out all the different steps in the truffle making process.
The station that appeared to be the most popular was the decorating station, where we dipped the truffles into melted chocolate and garnished them with treats like cocoa powder, chopped peanuts, and minced crystalized ginger.
We made a few types of truffles that evening, but we got to take home two kinds — dark chocolate truffles and milk chocolate truffles, most of which were generously decorated with a variety of garnishes.
We each took home quite a few truffles — over a dozen — to share with our loved ones at home. The truffles melted in your mouth and were so very delicious — I would be lying if I said the truffles lasted over two days at my house!

Next time you are in the South End, make sure to stop by Chocolee Chocolates for a melt-in-your- mouth treat so you can experience the delicious chocolates first hand.

For more information on Chocolee Chocolates, or to book a truffle making class, visit their website: www.chocoleechocolates.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.
Chocolee Chocolates is located at 23 Dartmouth Street, Boston, MA 02118. For a listing of hotels and accommodations in walking distance of the South End, please click here.
Andrea Hood is a holistic Health Coach, blogger, and foodie who loves cooking up a delicious meal with local ingredients. For recipes and healthy living tips, check out her blog www.behealthybehappybelocal.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @BeHealthyBHappy or Facebook at www.facebook.com/BeHealthyBHappy.
Photos of the South End, credit: Tim Grafft/MOTT
Photos of Truffles, credit: Andrea Hood

TOPICS: Boston, Culinary, Things to Do