Easy Lemon Truffle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to prepare a truffle? ›

Avoid a lot of heat: Don't cook them too much or you will drive off much of the flavour and aroma. If using in a hot dish, such as a soup or sauce, slice or grate the truffle in just before serving or warm briefly in a little oil. Use quickly: The strength of the truffle flavour will naturally decrease over time.

The Best Chocolate for Truffles

Look in the baking aisle for chocolate with 60% or higher cacao content. Guittard makes chocolate baking bars with 64% and 70% cacao content.

If your ganache isn't firm enough to scoop into balls, you can chill it in the fridge to harden. Or, whip it very briefly until the color just begins to lighten—about 30 seconds on medium-low with a hand mixer. Let it set again and it will firm up. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder, shaking off any excess cocoa.

For this reason, it's rare to actually cook truffles. Instead, it's typical to shave them thinly over the top of hot, cooked food before serving, letting the warmth of the food activate the flavors and aromas. This is especially true of white truffles.

Truffles are a fungus that grows underground at or near the base of trees known as host trees, but not all trees are suitable places for truffles to grow. Typically host trees include poplar, beech, and oak trees. Truffle fungi grow worldwide in many different varieties.

Truffles are known for their earthy, umami-rich flavor and heady, musky aroma. Their flavor is sometimes compared to mushrooms, although truffles are more intense and complex in taste and far more fragrant. The exact profile varies by variety, season and quality, incorporating nutty, garlicky or floral notes.

Use tempered chocolate to get a professional snappy and shiny coating, which stays hard without refrigeration. Avoid swirling the truffles in chocolate.

For the shells of these truffles I used vanilla Candy Melts & cocoa for the Dark Chocolate truffles. When the ganache is ready, begin to melt your Candy Melts. I use heat safe decorating bottles but you can also melt them in a measuring cup with a pour lip.

The reason behind such high costs is the scarcity of the produce, truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life. Truffles require a very specific climate to grow and require lots of oak trees, that's why they're often found in woodland.

How long will homemade truffles keep? ›

Any solid chocolate pieces will last up to a year or so believe it or not. However, any filled pieces such as caramels, creams, jellies or toffee have approximately a 6 to 8 week shelf life. Truffles have approximately a 2 to 4 week shelf life due to the fact that they are made with fresh heavy cream.

If the mixture is getting too soft, put it in the fridge or freezer and let it firm up before continuing.

Slide the edge of your fork or dipping tool under the truffle or candy center and lift it up gently. Drop the truffle into the melted chocolate and push it just under the surface of the chocolate. Lift it out of the chocolate with the fork and tap the fork several times against the side of the bowl.

Truffles and Olives/Olive Oil

The fruity, slightly bitter taste of olives and olive oil beautifully complements the umami-rich flavor of truffles. Drizzle truffle-infused olive oil over an olive tapenade for an extra depth of flavor.

Truffles should be eaten at the peak of ripeness (unripe truffles are not so flavourful). Black truffles are peeled and can be used raw or lightly cooked, while white truffles are just carefully wiped and cleaned and should never be cooked.

To eat truffles by themselves, you can simply slice them thinly and enjoy them as is, or you can shave them over a dish to enhance its flavor. Some people also like to sprinkle truffle salt or truffle oil over their food for an added burst of truffle flavor.

It is not necessary to peel it as you can eat the rind as well (sometimes in the summer black truffle or in the black truffle is better to peel of the most protruding and pointed warts). You can then slice it or grate it depending on the dish you are preparing.