Milk Chocolate Vanilla Buttercreams - Handmade

Our Buttercreams are made with a recipe from Shrafft’s Confectionary of Boston, circa late 1800s!

Buttercreams - richly flavored creams enrobed in fine chocolate - were the pièces de résistance of the chocolate world at the turn-of-century 1900s. So popular were these chocolates that U.S. “chocolatiers” devoted themselves to their existence. Chocolate enrobed butter creams are appreciated by those who truly love chocolate, delight in chocolate bags and boxes, and accept them willingly as a gift. 

Vanilla flavor was a late-comer to the candy world and considered high end - lusciously exotic.

Some early chocolate-makers, such as the illustrious Shrafft’s Confectionary of Boston, made them en masse then wholesaled them to smaller companies where they were sold in chocolate boxes. Schrafft also carried chocolates in their own retail shops, complete with the French-ish names such as “D’Or Elegante,” and distinct gold-hued packaging. Their ads said: “From the French comes the motif for this distinguished package, but only Schrafft could have supplied such chocolates. Search among the most exclusive shops of London, Paris, Rome-you will find nothing to compare to them. The golden box of chocolates is now offered for the first time. It contains the daintiest of our French truffle, nuts, fruits, and cream centers.”

Not all creams were touted as being “French” but all did have upscale sounding assortments with names like “Society Chocolates,” “Lady Fairfax Chocolates,” and “Paradise Chocolate.” Their advertising was sensual and sublime. Here’s one from Mead Chocolate in 1920: “A box of Belle Mead chocolates is an open door to the magic realms of chocolatery where all’s delicious. Made from the purest ingredients moded into sweets of rare delight-into bon bons and raspberry creams, into peppermint and orange paste, mapled creams and caramels, and many other luscious morsels.”

Find more at Susan’s Blog filled with chocolate facts and her award-winning book “Sweet as Sin” on Smithsonian’s “Best Books About Food.” Also check out her newest book “Fun Foods of America.”