Tag Archives: truffles

June 7, 2012

What Is Truffle Oil?

I know this is more formal than I usually am with you but I wrote this as an article for one of my other sites. I decided to delete it there and publish it here because I figured you guys would be interested. :)  

With the popularity of food shows, food reality television, and celebrity chefs more home-cooks are using exotic ingredients than ever before. Saffron, wild caught salmon, and truffles used to be ingredients found only in five star kitchens but today these ingredients, and thousands more, are available to almost everyone.

Truffle oil, French truffle oil, black truffle oil, and white truffle oil are all similar oils that have been infused with the taste of truffle, a fungus much like a mushroom that grows underground. Continue reading →

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April 11, 2009

Cumin and Dark Chocolate Truffles

Cumin and dark chocolate truffles?

I know.  It sounds so…well…weird.  I could not get this flavor combination out of my mind.  In my opinion cumin does not add flavor so much as it adds a warm nuance.  Would it be too weird with chocolate?

cumin_truffles

No.  It was awesome.  The dark chocolate hits you first and then the cumin wraps itself around your mouth, whispering of warm summer days.   As the chocolate fades away you are still lost in the spell of the cumin.

Easy to make, you can adjust the cumin to your tastes, it doesn’t take much.

Creamy Cumin and Dark Chocolate Truffles

  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 8 oz bittersweet chocolate baking bar, broken in 1/4-inch pieces
  • 8 oz dark chocolate baking bar broken in 1/4 inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/3 cup  Dagoba Xocolatl hot chocolate powder ( you can substitute plain cocoa)

Ganache:

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and butter. Stir until completely melted and smooth

Chill, covered, for two hours.

Truffles:

Pour the Xocolatl onto a plate.  Using a small melon baller form truffles out of the ganache.  Roll in the Xoclotl, until evenly coated.  Store in refrigerator, seperated by wax paper for up to two weeks.  Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

2 1/2 dozen

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