Pepperoncini Chocolate Truffles at Cafe Gilli

[Kerry Beal]

I've had a request to imitate the Pepperoncini Chocolate truffles that someone had at Cafe Gilli in Florence. Of course I've never tasted them, and that makes this an interesting challenge.

She said they were dark chocolate with a bit of a bite when they hit the back of your throat.

Anyone tasted them? Are there any other spices in there? Would you assume they have just used the dried peppers or the peppers preserved in vinegar? Any thoughts about what chocolate has been used?

[Maureen B. Fant]

I've had a request to imitate the Pepperoncini Chocolate truffles that someone had at Cafe Gilli in Florence.  Of course I've never tasted them, and that makes this an interesting challenge.

She said they were dark chocolate with a bit of a bite when they hit the back of your throat. 

Anyone tasted them?  Are there any other spices in there?  Would you assume they have just used the dried peppers or the peppers preserved in vinegar?  Any thoughts about what chocolate has been used?

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Definitely dried peppers not vinegar. Peperoncino-flavored sweets have been quite fashionable in one form or another since the movie Chocolat. It's definitely not a Gilli monopoly. The town of Modica, in eastern Sicily, is famous for chocolate flavored with peperoncino. In fact, the Modica chocolate might be the best starting point rather than the peppers themselves.

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks Maureen, that looks like a good jumping off point. Amazon sells Modica chocolate with chili, so I'll suggest she get some of that and we can experiment with it.

[divina]

The Modica chocolate is very Mexican style and heavy with ground sugar crystals which i find distracting. I have had many versions of the chili chocolates here, and they are all ganache based. I will have some tomorrow for you if gilli is open on Monday!

I make chocolate chili truffles all the time!

we use powdered chili

[Kerry Beal]

The Modica chocolate is very Mexican style and heavy with ground sugar crystals which i find distracting. I have had many versions of the chili chocolates here, and they are all ganache based. I will have some tomorrow for you if gilli is open on Monday!

I make chocolate chili truffles all the time!

we use powdered chili

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Thank you Judy, I await your report with bated breath!