It might sound unusual to use black truffle in dessert, but I assure you its as delicious in sweets as it is in savoury dishes. The savoury truffle works well with the sweet shortbread, and It's earthiness pairs beautifully with the dark chocolate. Don't be afraid to use dark / bitter chocolate as the high sugar content of shortbread will balance it out. If you use a milk chocolate it won't work nearly as well, and you'll find it will overpower the truffle.
There is an excitement about cooking with a seasonal product, especially something as elusive as the black truffle. Be warned these are terribly addictive, you will find yourself looking forward to truffle season each year so that you can bake another batch.
Servings 16 cookies
Ingredients
* 150g unsalted butter unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 10g black truffle
* 70g confectioners' sugar
* 145g cake flour (can use All Purpose flour)
* 35g rice flour (If you don't have this just use all AP flour - 180g)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 100g dark chocolate (70-80% preferred. I use 78% Lindt)
Method
1. Microplane 10g of black truffle into softened butter, mix together with a fork and cover with cling wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour, before placing in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours (I have left it up to 5 days with great results)
2. Cream the room temperature butter.
3. Add confectioners' sugar and salt, mix on low.
4. Scrape bowl down and add the flour and continue mixing on low until combined.
5. Transfer dough onto a floured surface and shape into a rectangle (brick shape). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm (a minimum 1 hour).
6. Preheat oven to 175°C
7. Remove the dough from refrigerator and cut into half inch desired slices.
8. Place pieces onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper, space shortbread an inch apart.
9. Bake at 175°C for 10 min (rotating the tray at the 5 minute mark), once they are starting to show signs of browning on the edges It's time to remove.
10. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. 11. Placing a bowl over a pot of simmering water (bowl should not touch water) creating a bain marie, place chocolate in the bowl and melt.
12. Once shortbread has cooled dip one side on the cookie into the melted chocolate, and place on baking paper to cool. Be sure to only dip 3-4 millimetres of the cookie into the chocolate, only the slightest amount of chocolate is needed to help hero the truffle. Too much chocolate and it will overpower the flavour.
Notes:
* Pick a truffle that is fresh and has a strong aroma.
* Leave enough time for the truffle to infuse into the butter after combining.
* Use DARK chocolate even if you don't usually like dark chocolate
* Keep the dark chocolate strip minimal (3-4mm on the edge is plenty)
