Aromatic scrambled truffle eggs with fresh black truffles and generous amounts of butter, a delicate and luxurious French treat.
Bring everyday creamy scrambled eggs to a new level by adding just a small amount of fresh black truffles. The result? These delicate and aromatic truffle eggs are a delectable breakfast experience to enjoy a couple of times a year.
And if you have more of those truffles, you should definitely try this Truffle Pasta recipe; it is amazing! Or make Truffle Oil Pasta (with Mushrooms) or Truffle Butter Pasta.
What are truffles, and why are they so expensive?
They are edible fungi growing underground among certain tree roots, for instance, oak or hazelnut. They grow mostly in concentrated areas around the world.
In Europe, you are likely to find them in Italy and France, and they are much cheaper there than they are when I buy them in Germany. Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest are also areas where the fungi are grown.
There are two sorts: the very expensive and difficult-to-find white truffles and the black ones. They are expensive as well, but not quite so extreme, and they are somewhat easier to buy.
The main reason for them being so expensive is that they are relatively rare and pretty hard to grow. Growing them on purpose on so-called “truffle farms” requires investment and is very complicated. Not every oak tree is suitable for producing truffles, for instance. Special ones need to be planted and nurtured, and the result is never certain.
Unsuitable weather or lack of intense care might ruin the farmers. The fungi need special climatic conditions, and a farm needs about a decade to really start producing. On top of that, the life cycle of such a farm seems to be of only about 30 years.
What do you need?
- One small fresh black truffle, about 15 g/ 0.5 oz.
- Large eggs
- Cream: full-fat milk is fine as well. However, I am always generous with fat when cooking truffles.
- Butter: two generous tablespoons, which is much more than I would usually use for eggs. However, as mentioned above, truffles need fat to develop their whole flavor, and as they are so expensive and so rarely to be found on my plate, I go the whole way every time.
- Parsley or other fresh herbs, for instance, chives.
- Salt and pepper
How to make scrambled eggs with truffles?
- Grate about half of the truffle on the larger side of a box grater.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the grated truffles and let them infuse the eggs for about 15 minutes.
- Finely chop the parsley. Reserve a little for garnishing and add the rest to the mixture.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add butter and let melt.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Slowly add the egg mixture.
- Heat them very slowly; if the temperature is too high, the protein will toughen, and the eggs will lose their creaminess and become dry. Leave them untouched for about 15-20 seconds or until very slightly set on the bottom.
- Use a spatula to move them across the pan so that they will cook evenly into large folds. Move in the pan for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the heat. They should be mostly set yet still slightly moist and not dry.
- The truffle eggs will continue setting slightly in the pan and on the plate, so keep that in mind as well.
- Aim for them to look like in the pictures, large set fluffs that are still shiny with moisture but no pools of uncooked eggs.
- Transfer to warm serving plates, shave the remaining black truffle on top, and sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQ
The flavor comes mostly from their aroma and not from their taste. Strong, pungent, musky, woody. Once you are familiar with the flavor, you will always recognize it.
I like them pure with just a slice of good toasted sourdough bread.
We never had them with salad or vegetables because I like to concentrate on that amazing yet delicate truffle flavor; I would not like anything to overpower it.
More eggs
Truffle Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 small black truffle about 15 g/ 0.5 oz
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 heaped tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (or chives)
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate about half of the truffle on the larger side of a box grater.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the grated truffle, set it aside for about 15 minutes.
- Finely chop the herbs. Reserve a little for garnishing and add the rest to the eggs.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add butter and let melt. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly pour the eggs into the pan. Heat very slowly, leave untouched for about 15-20 seconds or until very slightly set on the bottom.
- Move the eggs across the pan using a spatula for cooking evenly into large egg folds. Move gently in the pan for about 1-2 minutes; it depends on the heat.
- The eggs should be mostly set yet still slightly moist and not dry. They will continue setting slightly in the pan and on the plate. Aim for them to look like in the pictures, large set fluffs that are still shiny with moisture, but no pools of uncooked eggs.
- Serve: Transfer to slightly warm serving plates, shave the remaining black truffle on top. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man! says
What an exotic breakfast! I've never had a truffle in my kitchen, but if I do, now I know what to do with it.
Adina says
You would love it, the aroma is fantastic.