If you’ve had the privilege, then you know how amazing truffles can be on everything from pasta dishes to chocolate chip cookies.
What Is The Difference Between Regular Butter And Truffle Butter?
To understand what makes different types of butter so great, it helps to first understand the differences between regular butter and truffle butter.
This will help you decide which type would best suit your needs.
Here are some key points to keep in mind when choosing either one:
- Regular Butter – Regular butter is made by blending cream with milk solids into an emulsion. The most common flavor of regular butter is sweetened.
- Truffle Butter – Truffle butter is made by adding pure truffle oil to regular butter. While both have similar ingredients, they differ greatly in their flavors.
- Truffle Oil – Truffle oil has been around since ancient times. Its main ingredient is truffle extract (which contains alcohol). While truffle oil may seem pricey now, it was once commonly used as cooking oil.
- Butterfat – Both regular and truffle butters contain fat that gives them a smooth texture and adds richness to food. But there are slight differences in terms of the amount of fat present in each product.
Where to buy truffle butter online
Here are five popular brands where you can find truffle butter online:
1. Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s offers two varieties of truffle butter.
One is called “truffle butter spread” and consists mainly of truffle oil with only a small percentage of real truffles added.
It is creamy and rich tasting and is ideal for spreading onto toast, bagels, crackers, and other baked goods.
The second variety is called “pure truffle butter” and includes more than just truffle oil.
It also contains ground truffles.
It is slightly thinner and less creamy than the spread, making it better suited for baking.
You can find this at Trader Joe’s stores nationwide and online.
2. Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market sells several varieties of truffle butter including white truffle butter, black truffle butter, and classic truffle butter.
All three products are made using natural fats and oils instead of artificial additives.
They all come in jars ranging from 1.5 ounces up to 6 ounces.
All three varieties are available at Whole Foods locations across the country and online.
3. Safeway
Safeway carries two kinds of truffle butter. First is its own line of truffle butter called “Safeway Classic White Truffle Butter.”
As the name suggests, it is simply plain old white truffle butter without any additional flavoring.
You can find it at Safeway stores nationwide.
Second, it offers “Safeway Truffle Butter Dipped Foil Pouches.”
These pouches include four pieces of foil filled with truffle butter.
Each piece is designed for specific applications such as dipping bread sticks, crackers, vegetables, cheese platters, and appetizers.
4. Kroger
Kroger offers two varieties of truffle butter. One is called “Classic Black Truffle Butter” and comes in jars ranging from 2.6 ounces up to 8 ounces.
Another is called “Traditional Pure Truffle Butter” and comes in jars ranging from 3 ounces up to 18 ounces.
Both varieties are made with natural fat and oils and no artificial additives.
You can find these at Kroger stores nationwide and online.
5. Costco
Costco sells three varieties of truffle butter. One is called “Premium Black Truffle Butter” and comes in various sizes depending on whether you want whole jar, half-jar, or quarter-jar options.
It is made with real truffles and comes with a dropper top lid.
Another is called “Black Truffle Spread” and comes in various sizes depending on whether you want whole jar, half-jar, or quarter-jar options.
It is made with real truffles and comes with a dropper top lid.
Finally, it offers “Pure Truffle Butter” and comes in various sizes depending on whether you want whole jar, half-jar, or quarter-jar options.
It is not made with real truffles and comes with a dropper top lid.
All three varieties are made with natural fat and oils and no artificial additives.
You can find these at Costco stores nationwide and online.
What Does Truffle Butter Taste Like?
Truffle butter has that distinct earthy flavor of truffles which gives it its name.
The aroma is very strong and can overwhelm all other flavors in your food.
However, if used correctly, this flavor will enhance any dish you put it on.
In fact, truffle butter can replace garlic and onions when cooking because they are so similar.
What Is The Best Way To Use Truffle Butter?
Truffle butter is an extremely versatile condiment that can be used in any number of ways, including as a spread, dip, topping, and even dessert.
It is made by combining melted butter with chopped fresh black truffles.
The result is a creamy mixture that has a rich flavor profile.
This truffle butter recipe will help you master this culinary wonder.
Follow these steps to create your own batch of truffle butter at home.
- Combine all ingredients (except for the truffles) in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts completely. Stir frequently until it becomes thickened.
- Remove pan from heat and add the freshly chopped truffles. Allow them to melt into the liquid while stirring constantly.
- Strain through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into airtight container until cool.
- Store refrigerated up to 5 days.
How Long Does Homemade Truffle Butter Last?
The shelf life of truffle butter depends on several factors, including temperature and humidity.
The ideal conditions for storing truffle butter include temperatures between 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit (4-21 Celsius) and low humidity levels.
You should store your truffle butter in an airtight container with as little oxygen exposure as possible.
If you don’t have any airtight containers that fit into these parameters, refrigeration will help extend its freshness.
Depending on the type of truffle you used, it may need to rest after extraction before you begin making truffle butter.
You can do this by leaving it at room temperature for about two hours or refrigerating overnight.
Truffles are very perishable so if you want them to keep their flavor, you must take extra care when handling them.
For example, never clean truffles using water because they will absorb moisture and become soggy.
Instead, wipe off excess dirt with a paper towel.
To prevent mold growth while keeping truffles moist, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in a sealed jar.
Never leave truffles out open where dust can enter — you could end up with moldy truffles!
When buying truffle butter, look for one made with 100% unrefined white truffle oil rather than 70/30 blends.
Truffle oils contain more natural flavors compared to lower quality versions that are blended together.
As mentioned above, truffle butter has a relatively short shelf life.
However, even though it won’t last forever, there are plenty of uses for truffle butter that will allow you to enjoy it beyond its expiration date.
What Are Some Other Ways To Use Truffle Butter?
Truffle butter is made by mixing ground up white truffles with melted butter.
The mixture becomes an ultra-creamy spread that is used to top anything from breads and pastas to desserts like brownies and cakes.
The flavor comes from the aroma produced when the truffle oil is heated.
You will get more intense flavors if you buy your truffles in bulk because they will have higher concentrations of truffle oil in them.
However, it doesn’t take much to add a bit of truffle flavor to any dish – just use a small amount of truffle butter.
You may already have truffle butter at home. Many grocery stores sell truffle butter as well as truffle paste.
Both are great options but truffle paste has less truffle flavor than truffle butter so we recommend using truffle butter instead.
How Would You Describe The Taste Of Truffle Butter?
Truffle butter has a very strong flavor profile with notes of earthy mushrooms, sweet cream cheese, and savory bacon.
The smell alone will transport you straight into an Italian restaurant where they serve this creamy spread over their pasta dishes.
This rich and decadent truffle butter is also great used as a finishing touch on desserts, especially cakes and brownies.
You can even add it to oatmeal raisin cookie recipes if you want to change up the usual vanilla-sugar combo.
It adds a subtle hint of mushroom flavor without being overpowering in any way.
You can find truffle oil at most grocery stores these days, but if you don’t have access to truffle oil, then just substitute any olive oil.
I usually buy mine at Trader Joe’s because it’s inexpensive and comes in a big bottle so there isn’t much waste.
The best part about making truffle butter yourself is the fact that you get to control exactly what goes into your food.
If you like something better than truffle oil (like garlic) or want to try out different flavors of mascarpone cheese, then go right ahead!
Keep reading below to learn more about this incredible ingredient and see why truffle butter is such a versatile topping.
Why truffle butter is so good
While truffles may not be cheap, they do come with one huge advantage – they contain a lot of fat which makes them incredibly tasty.
When we talk about adding fats to our diet, many people think that we need to avoid saturated fats completely, but there are actually two types of fats that we should be eating regularly.
- Monounsaturated fatty acids – Monosaturated fatty acids help lower cholesterol levels by helping reduce the amount of triglycerides circulating through the blood stream. These fats include olive oil and avocado oil, and they are often recommended by doctors when trying to lose weight.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids – Polyunsaturated fatty acids are considered healthy fats because they don’t raise blood pressure or increase LDL levels. They are found in nuts and seeds, including walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds.
When it comes to truffle butter, its high level of monounsaturated oil makes it ideal for people who are looking to maintain a low carb lifestyle while still enjoying all the benefits of healthy oils.
Not only does truffle butter provide us with lots of vitamins and minerals, but it also helps boost energy levels throughout the day.
What Is Your Favorite Recipe That Uses Truffle Butter?
You might have heard about this fancy ingredient in culinary school because it was considered one of the most expensive food items around.
However, nowadays there aren’t too many places where you can find truffle butter sold at an exorbitant price.
Even if truffle butter isn’t as pricey now, it still has its place in any cookbook.
Here’s why: they’re super-addictive!
They add a unique flavor to just about anything you put them on.
One of my favorites is this truffle butter recipe.
If I want to impress someone, I always serve it alongside something like risotto or gnocchi.
For me, it brings out the best flavors in both ingredients.
What Are Some Other Ingredients That Go Well With Truffle Butter?
Truffle butter is one of those things that makes cooking so much more fun.
There are many different ways to use it in recipes, but there are also lots of great ingredients that pair well with this creamy spread.
You can add it to sauces, dips, spreads, desserts, even salad dressings!
Here are just a few ideas that might inspire you for new creations.
- Chocolate Truffled Truffles – Chocolate truffles made with dark chocolate and a touch of truffle butter.
- Parmesan Truffled Potato Chips – These potato chips are loaded with Parmesan cheese and truffle butter.
- Strawberry Truffled Ice Cream – Add a dollop of truffle butter to any flavor ice cream recipe.
- Cranberry Truffled Turkey Breast – A classic Thanksgiving dish gets an extra kick thanks to the addition of truffle butter.
How Can You Tell If Truffle Butter Has Gone Bad?
Truffle butter is one of those things where it doesn’t really matter whether you buy good quality or not because there’s no way you could use it all up in just one sitting!
However, when I started making this truffle butter at home, I found out quickly that it didn’t always last as long as I would like.
So, what did I do about it?
Well, I discovered that by storing my truffle butter properly, I was able to extend its shelf life significantly.
Here’s how to store your truffle butter so that it lasts longer.
- Keep it cool – As much as possible, keep your truffle butter refrigerated until you need it. If you have the opportunity to purchase it frozen, do so immediately. The reason being that freezing will help preserve the moisture within the truffle butter which makes it more stable for later usage.
- Wrap tightly – You don’t want any air molecules getting into your truffle butter while it’s still fresh. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place it back into the fridge. Remember, the temperature inside should be around 4 or 5 degrees Celsius (39-41 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Use it right away – Once you start using your truffle butter, it will begin to spoil. Use it before it goes rancid. Don’t try to save it for later unless you plan on consuming it very soon after opening it.
- Strain truffle butter – Storing truffle butter involves keeping it cold but also ensuring that it stays free of mold. To achieve this, strain it through cheesecloth or even fine mesh strainer. Discard the solids once they pass through. Then, carefully pour the strained liquid into another container that’ll fit. Refrigerate that and use it within two weeks.
Now let’s talk about how to make truffle butter at home.
First, we’re going to gather our supplies together including a food processor, garlic press, heavy duty metal bowl, cheesecloth, and a large saucepan.
- Add 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups chopped peeled white onion, 1/4 cup minced garlic, and 3 tablespoons salt to your food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Pour mixture into a medium sized saucepan and add 1 pound whole black truffles. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until melted completely.
- Once melted, turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature. Remove from stovetop and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine 8 ounces cream cheese with a pinch of salt and blend thoroughly until creamy. Set aside.
- When truffle butter mixture reaches room temperature, remove from heat and transfer to an ice bath tub filled with water and stir vigorously. Allow mixture to cool slightly before transferring to the refrigerator.
- After cooling, strain mixture again through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. Pour strained liquid back into the same vessel and discard remaining solid pieces that aren’t pureed.
- Transfer mixture back into saucepan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from heat and add cream cheese mixture. Blend until combined. Transfer to a glass jar and seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
What Are Some Of The Most Popular Brands Of Tr
Truffle Butter Ingredients:
- Butter (unsalted)
- Onion powder
- Powdered sugar
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- Cocoa powder
- Milk
- Garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Allspice
- Vanilla extract
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Step 2: Transfer mixture into an airtight container and store it in refrigerator overnight before using.
How do I use truffle butter?
The first step when making any type of confectionery product is always to read through the ingredient list carefully to ensure that there isn’t anything harmful included.
If you have allergies to nuts and dairy products, then this may not be something you want to eat because they could be present in the ingredients.
Once you’re sure about what you’re working with, add your favorite flavorings and enjoy!
You can also use truffle butter as a spread for breads, crackers, pastries, etc.
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons truffle pate
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Use a fork to combine butter and truffle pate in a small bowl.
- Add salt gradually, tasting as you go to see if you need more.
- Allow butter to stand at room temperature for 15–20 minutes to let flavours meld.
- For up to 7 days, cover and store in the refrigerator.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to let us know what you used it on and how you enjoyed it by returning here!
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.