The hottest truffle in Alba wasn’t what it seemed

Over the course of two months, thousands of truffles were sold at the 94^th annual International Alba White Truffle Fair in Alba, Italy. There was one that attracted more guests and got more pictures taken of it—and it wasn’t the biggest or most expensive.

At the Tartufo Regale booth, Emmanuele Guido offered tastes of what looked like a black Périgord truffle. The exterior had the trademark bumpiness and slightly matte black color, while the interior was beautifully marbled. When he shaved it onto a plate, the paper thin, featherweight slices, curled up ever-so-slightly, just as you’d expect.

However, one bite offered a revelation. It was a truffle, but it wasn’t a fungi.

In fact, the Tartufo Regale is a luxurious chocolate truffle created by renowned chef Ugo Alciati of the Michelin-starred Guido da Costigliole in Italy’s Cuneo province.

The idea for this tasty trick was born during a conversation about language two years ago. “Generally, chocolate truffles are balls or cubes,” notes Guido, a partner in the project. “Chef and I asked ourselves, ‘Why do they call them chocolate truffles when they don’t look like real truffles?’"

That question sent them down a rabbit hole. Well, more of a truffle hole.  

After much trial and error, Alciati nailed the recipe and unearthed their creation for the world to taste this August, selling them in partnership with Galup, the famed Italian confectioners renowned for their Christmas panettones. “The truffle reflects my cooking philosophy,” says Alciati. “No dyes, no preservatives, no artificial flavors. Zero added sugars and fats.”

In fact, there are only two ingredients: Piedmont hazelnuts and rare, high-end criollo chocolate from Venezuela. “We didn’t want it to only look good, we wanted it to taste good,” says Guido, “so we are very intentional about the quality of our ingredients”.

“The taste is very balanced,” adds Alciati. “There’s very soft, round, almost buttery hazelnut. In contrast, the criollo chocolate is more angular, acidic, and slightly astringent.”

Achieving the perfect consistency was equally important. “The goal was to find the perfect balance, so you could shave it with a cutter, but at the same time, leave it soft, mellow on the palate, so that you can also bite into it,” says Alciati.

To perfectly copy the exterior look, the chocolates are created in handmade molds based on truffles. On the inside, there are finely chopped hazelnuts to mimic the marbling. As a finishing touch, a single truffle can be purchased packaged in a small glass cloche, evoking the classic presentation at many high-end restaurants and truffle shops.

Ultimately, the Tartufo Regale is a deft piece of trompe-l'œil (French for ‘deceives the eye’), joining a legion of sly sweets that aren’t exactly what they seem, including the fruit-inspired creations of internationally acclaimed pastry chef Cédric Grolet, the apple dessert at three-Michelin-star Le Bernardin in New York City, and the delicious deceits on Netflix’s competition show, Is It Cake?

But Guido never wants people to walk away thinking they just bought a real Périgord truffle. “When people ask me to buy one, I always ask them if they want a taste,” says Guido, “because I’m never sure they understand that it’s chocolate. Then it makes me happy when they’re surprised, because it means we did a good job.”

Better still, they usually end up making a purchase. Guido recommends shaving the Tartufo Regale on desserts, such as ice cream, panna cotta, or zabaglione. However, he has heard some chefs are using it to create less conventional pairings, including serving it atop caviar.

The crafty creators aren’t done. They’re currently developing a white truffle.