Behind the Scenes: Fazio’s Chocolate

Excess chocolate drips out of the mold chocolatier and owner Cindy Karrels uses to make the shells for Snow Crunch truffles.
Excess chocolate drips out of the mold chocolatier and owner Cindy Karrels uses to make the shells for Snow Crunch truffles. Credit: Jake Hill

On a recent chilly Friday afternoon, the chocolatiers at Fazio’s Chocolate are busier than Santa’s elves as they meticulously create batches of some of the shop’s most beloved seasonal candies. 

Nestled in a cozy storefront in the Elm Grove Park & Shop center at 13425 Watertown Plank Road, the family-owned business – now in its 10th year of operation – has become known for its one-of-a-kind holiday truffles.

Always a foodie, Cindy Karrels started the business with her husband, Mark, after spending years as a flight attendant. Fazio is Cindy’s maiden name and a nod to her Italian heritage. 

In addition to seasonal sweets, like the Christmas collection’s “Snow Crunch” truffle, featuring hand-painted iridescent swirls and crunchy vanilla bean ganache filling, the shop’s year-round product line includes a variety of truffles and vegan chocolates. 

“There’s all different ways to work with chocolate. It’s a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best,” said Karrels.

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Cara covers commercial and residential real estate. She has an extensive background in local government reporting and hopes to use her experience writing about both urban and rural redevelopment to better inform readers. Cara lives in Waukesha with her husband, a teenager, a toddler, a dog named Neutron, a bird named Potter, and a lizard named Peyoye. She loves music, food, and comedy, but not necessarily in that order.

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