Vosges Truffles: Gianduja

When I went to the Vosges shop on Michigan Avenue in Chicago this spring, I really did pick up a lot of truffles. And I got some free truffles!

Now, let’s be fair for a minute: When you regularly drop a good deal of money on chocolate at a shop that is several hundred miles away from where you live, nothing is really “free.” But it was nice to get 1. yet another viola truffle, bringing my grand total consumption of these to four and 2. a different kind of truffle to evaluate; in this case, the gianduja truffle.

This truffle, topped with sweet caramelized hazelnuts that are crisp and nicely toasted, has a very faint creamy and nutty aroma. The creamy flavor is evident in the couverture, as is a sublte note of caramel.

The interior offers a strong nutty flavor that nearly overpowers the chocolate flavor, and is smooth and soft. So soft that, as this picture shows, the couverture breaks away from the interior. The flavor is pleasing but not adventurous (no wasabi or lemongrass here), and I’d likely steer away from this truffle in favor of other more exotic Vosges treats.

Am I the only one who gets angry when truffles crumble? (probably)