What is Black Truffle & 5 Ways To Enjoy It
If you’ve never tried Black Truffle before, you might think of it as an intimidating ingredient to cook with. It’s bold, it’s extravagant, and it’s a delicacy. But that doesn’t mean that it should only be enjoyed in a Michelin-star restaurant.
In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Black Truffles. We’ve also included 5 delicious Black Truffle recipes from indulgent pasta dishes to show-stopping dinner party delights.
What is Black Truffle?
Black truffles are an edible fungus that grows underground near the roots of certain trees, such as oak and hazelnut. They tend to be the size of a golf ball with a bumpy exterior and a marbled white-and-black interior.
Black truffles are highly prized in the culinary world for their intense aroma and rich, earthy flavour. They add a distinctive taste to dishes, often described as robust, nutty, and slightly garlicky. The most famous variety is the Périgord truffle, which is particularly valued for its deep, musky aroma. Due to their unique growth process and limited availability, black truffles are considered a luxury ingredient that adds sophistication to any meal.
The most well-known varieties of black truffles include:
- Périgord Truffle (Tuber melanosporum): Originating from the Périgord region in France, this is the most famous and highly prized black truffle variety. It is celebrated for its intense aroma and complex, earthy flavour, making it a favourite among chefs and gourmets worldwide.
- Burgundy Truffle (Tuber uncinatum): Found primarily in the Burgundy region of France, as well as parts of Italy and Eastern Europe, the Burgundy truffle has a slightly milder flavour and aroma compared to the Périgord truffle. It is often used in dishes where a more subtle truffle presence is desired.
- Winter Truffle (Tuber brumale): Also known as the black winter truffle, this variety is harvested in the winter months and is similar to the Périgord truffle but generally has a less intense flavour and aroma. It is still highly valued and often used as a more affordable alternative to the Périgord truffle.
Why are Black Truffles so expensive?
Black truffles are expensive because they are rare and difficult to harvest. Firstly, they only grow underground in regions with specific climate and soil conditions (primarily in parts of Europe like France, Italy, and Spain.)
Secondly, harvesting them is incredibly labour-intensive. Dogs and pigs are trained to locate the truffles, which are then carefully dug out by hand. Additionally, black truffles have a very short harvesting season, usually in winter, which further limits their availability.
Their cultivation is challenging as it takes years for truffle spores to establish a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. Even once established, yields can be unpredictable.
The combination of their rarity, labour-intensive harvesting process, and the time required to cultivate them contributes to their high price, making them one of the most luxurious ingredients in the culinary world.
What do Black Truffles taste like?
Black truffles have a distinctive and complex flavour that is often described as earthy, rich, and slightly musky. The taste is robust, with deep, savoury notes that can be reminiscent of nuts and garlic with a hint of sweetness. Some describe the flavour as having subtle undertones of chocolate or woody spices. The aroma of black truffles plays a significant role in their taste experience, as their intense, almost intoxicating scent enhances their earthy flavour and adds depth to dishes. The overall taste of black truffles is unique and difficult to replicate, making them a prized ingredient in gourmet cooking.
How to store Black Truffle
To store your black Truffles, you should wrap them in a paper towel and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to change the wrapping every 24-48 hours to avoid mould forming. If you do so, they will keep it for up to 1-3 weeks. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving to get all those delicious flavours.
5 Black truffle recipes
We’ve pulled together some easy and simple black truffle recipes that deliver flavour and showcase this wonderful delicacy. Get ready to take some of your favourite meals to the next level!
Black Truffle Tagliatelle
First up is a simple five-ingredient Black Truffle Tagliatelle that is a perfect starting point for cooking with truffles and discovering their flavour.
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
- 250g Fresh Tagliatelle
- 100g Parmesan
- 140g Salted Butter
- 60g Black Truffle
- Salt and Pepper to taste
How to make this dish:
Step 1:
Start boiling a pan of salted water.
Step 2:
Start the sauce in a frying pan. On medium heat, pop the butter in the pan, and once it’s all melted, grate ¾ of the truffles into the butter.
Step 3:
Add your fresh tagliatelle to the water and grate your parmesan finely.
Step 4:
Take the sauce off the heat and add a small amount of the pasta water to the sauce. Once the pasta is done, add it to the sauce. Mix it all and add ¾ of the parmesan.
Final Step:
Serve immediately. Add the remaining cheese and garnish with shaved Black Truffle.
Black Truffle Risotto
A creamy risotto with Black Truffle is the perfect winter meal to cosy up with next to the fire. Or, an easy but delicious dish to wow your friends at a dinner party! This recipe will be ready in under an hour and all in one pan.
Ingredients:
- 50g Butter
- 1 Small Onion
- 200g Arborio Rice
- 125ml Dry White Wine
- 1 Litre Vegetable Stock
- 2 Lemons, Zest and juice
- Parmesan to garnish
- 1 Black Truffle to garnish
- Truffle Oil (optional)
How to make this dish:
Step 1:
In a large frying pan with high sides, melt the butter over low heat.
Step 2:
Chop and peel the onion before finely dicing, then add to the pan to soften in the butter.
Step 3:
Add in your rice, and mix it with the butter and onion until it’s all combined.
Step 4:
Pour in your wine and mix it until the majority of the liquid has disappeared.
Step 5:
Increase the heat to medium to high. Add a ladle of stock at a time to mix until all the liquid has disappeared, then repeat. Continue adding the stock while it boils down until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to stir the rice to avoid sticking.
Step 6:
As you stir the rice, add salt and pepper to taste, along with the zest and juice of the lemon. At this point, the rice should be getting creamy and still have a bit of tenderness to the rice.
Step 7:
Grate over the parmesan and mix.
Final Step:
Serve the risotto in dishes and shave the Black Truffle to garnish. You can also add a drizzle of Truffle Oil for some added wow factor.
Truffle and Brie Mash Potatoes
This Truffle and Brie Mash Potato could be the answer to making those cold and rainy evenings a little bit brighter. It’s quick and easy but insanely delicious.
Ingredients
- 200g Potatoes
- 20ml Double Cream
- 20ml Milk
- 60g Brie
- 1tbsp Butter
- 1tbsp Truffle Oil
- 1 Black Truffle to Garnish
How to make this dish:
Step 1:
Peel your potatoes and chop them into medium chunks about 1-2 inches before putting them into a pot of boiling water.
Step 2:
Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until you can put a knife easily through the potatoes.
Step 3:
Drain the potatoes and mash the potatoes with the butter.
Step 4:
Heat the milk and cream in a pan together before incorporating into the mash.
Step 5:
Season to taste and fold in the brie with the truffle oil.
Final Step:
Serve and shave over the Black Truffle.
Turkey with Black Truffle Stuffing
Switch up your regular Christmas dinner, or bring your Sunday roast to the next level with this Black Truffle stuffing dish that your whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 Large Turkey
- 250g Button Mushrooms, diced finely
- 100g Bread, chopped finely
- 4 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
- 2 Shallots, chop finely
- Parsley, dice finely
- 1tbsp Dried Thyme
- 200ml Chicken Stock
- 2tsp Olive Oil
- 1tsp Truffle Oil
- 2 Fresh Black Truffles
How to make this dish:
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. To start making the stuffing, dice the shallots and throw them into the pan with the olive oil. Cook on low heat until softened.
Step 2:
Add the garlic to the pan and increase the heat to medium, then add the diced mushrooms.
Step 3:
Chop the bread, parsley, truffle, and thyme and add to the pan. Stir until fully combined, then remove from the heat.
Step 4:
Slowly add in the Chicken Stock a little at a time. You don’t want it to be fully saturated. It should be a paste-like texture.
Step 5:
For Turkey, place your hand under the skin between the breast meat to make a gap. The skin is stretchy, but be careful not to tear it. With this gap, you can begin to put the stuffing inside the turkey. With one hand on top and one under the skin, you can smooth and equally distribute the stuffing.
Step 6:
In a roasting pan, roughly chop the onion, carrot, and celery for the turkey bed. Place Turkey on top and then cook for 20 minutes for every kilo of weight. If it’s browning too fast, place a layer of foil over the bird. Leave to cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Step 7:
Remove the bird from the roasting tray and place it on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any juices (these are delicious in gravy!) Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes, and then it’s ready to carve.
Final Step:
Serve this delicious luxury turkey with your favourite roast dinner sides.
Crêpe with Duck Confit and Black Truffle
Next pancake day, you can wow your family by making it fancy! This recipe is a luxury take on a savoury crêpe that’s easy to whip up as a starter or special treat. This recipe serves four people.
Ingredients
For the crepe batter:
- 300ml Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 140g Wholemeal flour
- 30g Plain flour
- 6g Salt
- 3g Sugar
For the Filling:
- 2 Duck Confit Legs
- PearJam
- 30g Black Truffle
- Butter
How to make this dish:
Step 1:
Start by making the batter. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. In a measuring jug, pour in the milk and crack in the eggs before beating until it’s all combined.
Step 2:
Slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry a little at a time to avoid lumps. Once it’s all mixed, you can put it aside for later.
Step 3:
Microwave the Duck Confit until hot and you can easily shred the meat off the bone.
Step 4:
Heat a crêpe frying pan before adding in a knob of butter, then add enough batter to cover the base of the pan. Once golden on both sides, you can put it to one side and repeat the process for the rest of the batter.
Final Step:
Time to start assembling! Add the confit to the centre of the crêpe along with a little pear jam then top it off with a grating of Black Truffle. Roll up the crêpes and garnish with the remaining Black Truffle, and enjoy!
Bon Appétit
Black Truffles are the perfect ingredient to take everyday dishes to the next flavour level. Whether thrown into a pasta dish or as the star of your Christmas Dinner, these five recipe ideas will wow any dinner guest and allow you to experiment with this delicious flavour. If you are looking for some more truffle inspiration, be sure to check out our range of Black Truffle products.