My boyfriend and I were on our way to brunch at Excelsior, Minnesota when we passed by a giant “CHOCOLATE” sign on a hill and a cute old house with the words “Truffle Hill Chocolate Shop” next to it. Intrigued, we stopped by for a little bit before going on our way.
The Truffle Hill Chocolate Store
To our delight, it was a quaint chocolate store with a large variety of whimsical chocolate confections and premium truffles. There were caramel chocolate-covered frogs, chocolate turkeys, chocolate champagne bottles, and even white chocolate golf balls. The fairy-tale appearance of the house and the many whimsical chocolates and candies sold at the store made me feel like I was in the witch’s house in Hansel and Gretel.
The Truffles
It was so difficult to decide what I wanted to give the large variety of chocolates but I ended up getting the half-pound box and filled it with 18 of their premium truffles. Every premium truffle came in a milk chocolate and dark chocolate variety. The truffles I selected were all milk chocolate truffles since that’s what I enjoy more. The cost amounted to around $30.
The Packaging
The packaging was a white cardboard box with a silver lid. The lid had the Truffle Hill Chocolate logo of the store printed on it in a dark brown foil. The box was also wrapped in a metallic silver ribbon. It was very similar to the packaging of Alderman of Vermont truffled I’ve reviewed before. It gave an old-fashioned aesthetic which I enjoyed and appreciated.
Inside the box, there was a card to help identify the flavors of the chocolate by its shape. The graphic design could be better. For example, it was hard to read the shape and flavor of the chocolates on the card included in the box because the logo overlapped it. It would be better if the logo was smaller and above the text.
The Flavors
These were the flavors I selected:
Orange creme, cherry, bailey’s Irish cream, raspberry, milk chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate, rum, caramel, Mexican, mint, strawberry creme, butter creme, bourbon butter creme, passion fruit, chocolate butter creme, sea salt caramel, grand Marnier
These were the flavors I skipped:
Almond coconut, Kahlua, cranberry, bittersweet, lemon creme, cherry cordial
I skipped them due to personal preference. In general, I don’t enjoy anything coffee or coconut-flavored things.
I love the variety of unique shapes and flavors. I wish there could be a few more colors but it’s not a big deal. There were only two textures for the fillings. I would love some crunchy textures. For example, by incorporating finely chopped nuts.
The Cremes
This group included orange creme, strawberry creme, butter creme, bourbon butter creme, and chocolate butter creme. In chocolate making, creme refers to the soft cream filling. The strawberry and orange creme fillings were more sticky and runny than the other three. They were all extremely sweet. It made me wish that I bought them in dark chocolate instead. I enjoyed the chocolate butter creme most because it was the least sweet.
The Fruits
The non-creme fruity flavors included cherry, raspberry, and passion fruit. I love fruits and so I was looking forward to these truffles. Unfortunately, every single one of these was disappointing. The fillings tasted a lot like Chinese preserved fruit candy and didn’t work well with the milk chocolate and resulted in a nasty, bitter chemical aftertaste.
The Classics
The classics group included milk chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate, caramel, mint, and sea salt caramel. The pure milk chocolate had a different softer consistency in the middle. The caramel one is gooey but I didn’t like the aftertaste. Mint was pretty good but not exceptional. The peanut butter is bigger than the other truffles and tastes really good but it’s hard to go wrong with peanut butter. The sea salt caramel was the best truffle I had in the whole box. It was a great balance of flavors and textures. I wish the whole box was just sea salt caramel.
Alcohol and Spice
This last group included Bailey’s Irish cream, rum, Mexican, and Grand Marnier. This is by far my favorite category in terms of flavor and I don’t even drink alcohol often. The Mexican and rum were my favorite in this category.
If I had to pick, the top five flavors and the only ones I would actually buy again were:
- Sea salt caramel
- Mexican
- Rum
- Peanut butter
- Mint
Quality
The shop boasted its quality a lot but the quality felt mid-tier to me. I’ve definitely had much better milk chocolate truffles or just milk chocolate in general. It might be a step above grocery-store truffles but it is nowhere in the range of quality as Neuhaus or even Godiva. Saying that it was made with European chocolates or Belgian and German chocolates doesn’t indicate quality. There are poor-quality and high-quality European chocolates.
Is Truffle Hill Chocolate Ethical?
In terms of ethics, while the truffles were made locally in Minnesota, there was no indicator of where the cacao from the chocolate was grown which means there is no way to trace whether the chocolates were sustainable or fairtrade. There was also no ingredient list or allergy warning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there were some flavor gems in the truffle box like the Mexican truffle, I didn’t enjoy most of the truffles. I’ve gotten used to the subtle sweetness and complexity of high-quality dark milk chocolate bars that most of the truffles were too sweet for me. However, it was a really cute chocolate store and the chocolate still makes a great gift for someone with a huge sweet tooth. If you love chocolate truffles, check out my other truffle reviews and recommendations.
Chocolate Scorecard
| Packaging | 4/5 | Gift-ready box Feels like it was packaged with care Could use better graphic design |
| Appearance | 4/5 | Great variety of unique shapes All except for 2 were the same color |
| Flavor | 3/5 | I would only buy again 3-5 flavors out of the 18 I tried |
| Mouthfeel | 3/5 | The chocolate was smooth but there was a lack of texture. |
| Quality | 3/5 | The quality felt mid-tier to me. I’ve definitely had much better truffles and milk chocolate. Saying European chocolates or Belgian or German chocolates don’t indicate quality. There are poor-quality and high-quality European chocolates. |
| Ethics | 3/5 | Truffles are made locally in Minnesota but no indicator of where the cacao was grown. There is no way to trace whether they were grown sustainably and fairtrade. |
| Overall | 3.33/5 |
Where can you buy Truffle Hill Chocolates?
You can visit the store at Excelsior, Minnesota, or buy from their website.
Should you buy Truffle Hill Chocolates?
Yes if you have a huge sweet tooth or gift someone with a huge sweet tooth but not if you are used to the best quality artisan truffles or have any allergies or restrictions.
Chocolate Information
| Brand | Truffle Hill Chocolates |
| Description | Each uniquely shaped chocolate truffle is filled with a rich & velvety chocolate ganache (truffles) or sweet & silky créme center (crémes). From our cherry cordials to our peanut butter truffles, these exquisite treats are a chocolate lover’s dream come true! As a thoughtful gift or a treat for yourself, you can never go wrong with a box of chocolates. |
| Chocolate Type | Milk Chocolate |
| Cost | $30 |
| Made in | Minnesota, USA |
| Ingredients | N/A |
| Allergens | N/A |
Nutrition Facts N/A
This chocolate was reviewed on November 2022.
Have you been to the Truffle Hill Chocolate Shop before? How was your experience? What other chocolates would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below.
