Truffle Infusion Process

Capture the essence of fresh truffles through the Truffle Infusion Process. If you are fortunate enough to be in possession of fresh truffles you probably know they have a short life-span. In this post you will learn how the Truffle Infusion Process will extend their life and allow you to enjoy the benefits of those luxury truffles.

The truffle is among the rarest and most expensive gourmet ingredient in the world. Chefs from around the world prize truffles and incorporate them into wonderfully elegant recipes.

When truffles are mentioned do you automatically think of France or Italy? Did you know that the United States also produces both white and black truffles?

The Oregon black and white truffles grow wild in the forests of Douglas-fir and conifer forests of northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington. The white truffle is also found growing in drier forests of oak and hardwoods. Oregon is the United States’ top producer of truffles.  Washington state follows in second place.  

What are Truffles?

Truffles are the fruits of the fungi and usually considered to be a type of mushroom. Unlike mushrooms that grow on top of the soil, truffles grow beneath the ground and hidden from view. 

Only when the truffles are ripe do they give off their fragrance.  That fragrance is very strong and as the truffle is beneath the soil it is undetectable to humans.  Dogs have a keen sense of smell to sniff out these nuggets of gold. Trained dogs are the premier truffle-hunters. 

The aroma from both the white and black truffle is from the gas that they release when they are ripe. It is that intoxicating aroma that we want to capture.

The Oregon black truffle has an intense exotic aroma, reminiscent of tropical fruits.

The Oregon White Truffles have an aromatic, perfume-like aroma that is intense and heady.

How do you cook with Truffles?

The actual truffle has little flavor.  It is the aromas they share with other foods that is the making of culinary masterpieces. 

These fragrant black and white truffles are way too dear to incorporate into dishes like you would with mushrooms. Instead, they are usually shaved or grated as a garnish over the final dish giving the guest the honor of their aroma.  It is that fragrant aroma that we are capturing through the Truffle Infusion Process.

What can I Infuse with the Truffle Infusion Process:

Fresh truffles are best used within three to five days. With a little coddling and gentle care you can extend their life for up to a week. These fantastic fungi love fat and their aroma easily permeates the fat in any foods.  Some examples are:

• Butter
• Cheese
• Oil
• Eggs
• Nuts & seeds
• Cream
• Avocados 
• Fatty fish

The truffle infusion process can take two or three days to completely saturate the truffle aroma into any of the above examples.  The truffle itself will still be good to use as a garnish in another recipe.  

The Truffle Infusion Process:

After bringing your truffles home, do not wash them.  Just clean the dirt from their surface with a fine mushroom brush or soft toothbrush. Wrap each truffle individually in a small piece of paper towel.  Place the wrapped truffles in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Each day, unwrap and discard the paper towel and wrap the truffles with a fresh paper towel.  

If you have both the black and white truffles, do not store them in the same jar.

The Truffle Infusion Process For Eggs: 

It is amazing how the strong fragrant aroma can penetrate through the egg shells.  Only the yolks will absorb the truffle fragrance as the whites do not have fat.

You will need:

• 6 fresh eggs
• 1 truffle, white or black
• Glass container with tight-fitting lid
• Tea ball infuser

Place 6 fresh eggs in a glass container that has a tight-fitting lid. Wrap a truffle in a fresh piece of paper towel and place it inside a tea ball infuser. Add the lid and transfer to the refrigerator for 24 hours. 

The next day, remove the tea ball.  Unwrap and discard the paper towel; then rewrap the truffle with a fresh piece of paper towel. Place the wrapped truffle back in the tea ball infuser and then into the glass container.  Add the lid and return the container to the refrigerator for another 24 hours.  

The truffle-infused eggs are ready to use and you still have the fresh truffle to use in another recipe.  You can also infuse hard-boiled eggs, peeled or in the shell, in the same manner.

The Truffle Infusion Process for Truffle Infused Cream:

I used one small white truffle and 2 cups of 40% heavy cream. For this infusion you will need:

• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1 truffle, white or black
• Glass container with a tight-fitting lid
• Tea ball infuser
• Kitchen String to replace the chain on the tea ball
• Duck tape

The metal chain on the tea ball will prevent the lid from tightening.   For an easy fix, remove the chain and replace it with the kitchen string. 

Before adding the truffle to the tea ball test for accuracy. … add the measured cream to the glass container.  Suspend the tea ball over the cream with the lid screwed on.  The tea ball should hang about 1-inch above the cream.  Adjust the string as needed and use duck tape to secure the string to the outside of the container.  Lift the tea ball to the outside of the container.  Wrap a truffle in one layer of paper towel and place in the tea ball.  Return the tea ball to the jar and transfer the container to the refrigerator.

Each day for the following 2 days, transfer the jar from the refrigerator, remove the tea ball.  Unwrap the truffle and discard the paper towel, then rewrap with a fresh layer of paper towel. Place the string tied tea ball back into the jar and transfer back into the refrigerator.  

In just three days you will have truffle-infused cream ready for use. Taste the cream and see how good it is!  And the truffle is still fresh enough to use in another recipe. 

The Truffle Infusion Process For Butter:

You do not need to unwrap the butter, the truffle aroma penetrates the wrapping as it seeks out that butter fat.  Here is what you need: 

• 1 pound butter, salted or unsalted
• Glass container with tight-fitting lid
• Tea ball infuser
• 1 white or black truffle

Wrap the truffle in one layer of paper towel and add to the tea ball. Place the tea ball into the glass container, add the lid and transfer to the refrigerator.   Each day, for the next 3 days, transfer the glass container from the refrigerator.  Remove and unwrap the truffle. Rewrap the truffle with one layer of paper towel, place back into the tea ball and into the glass container. Add the lid and transfer to the refrigerator. After 3 days you have a nice supply of truffled butter and the truffle can be used in another recipe.

Truffled butter can be frozen for up to 3 months. Tip: when freezing the truffle butter divide it into smaller portions and wrap individually.

Try our Eggs Benedict with White Truffle Hollandaise Sauce.  We used both the truffle infused eggs for the poached eggs and a portion of truffle infused butter for the hollandaise sauce.

We also have a recipe for black truffle butter that incorporates shavings of black truffle directly into the butter.

SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:

Pasta strands with black truffle sauce is an easy yet elegant dish. Serve it with a green salad and some homemade sourdough bread.

Einkorn pasta with morel mushrooms has a medley of flavors and it turns a pasta dish into something extra special.

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