How to truffle your own cheese

Yumm….the smell of truffles is something that makes me drool by only thinking of it! Truffles are such a decadent and expensive treat that we just want to sprinkle on everything to make the most of the many pounds we have spent on it. And who isn’t guilty of one too many bites of truffle Brie at Christmas? If you are one of those aficionados who just can’t get enough of, don’t despair! You can now make your own truffle cheese and it is easier than saying cheddar!

All you need is a soft cheese such as Camembert or Brie, mascarpone, crème fraiche and of course, a fresh truffle. Given the fact that Easter Day is fast approaching, you can surprise the cheese lover in your life with a truffled Coeur de Neufchatel which is quite similar in style to a Camembert, only it’s heart shaped.

First you should make the truffle filling. You need two thirds of mascarpone and one third of crème fraiche. You should adjust the ratio of crème fraiche to mascarpone so that it should be creamy enough but not too runny, otherwise it won’t stick to the cheese. I would recommend adding the crème fraiche gradually, like this you are in control of the mixture. Once you are happy with the cream created, you can start shaving the truffle. I would suggest thin, long slices that will easily blend with the cream. If you want to up the “trufflness” level, you can also mix in some truffles paste to give it that extra flavour.

Last step would be cutting your cheese exactly in the middle, preferably with a cheese wire, but since you can’t find them in every kitchen, a very sharp cheese knife can also be used as long as you are very careful to not cut yourself.

Spread the mixture on one side of the cheese, place the top part and leave it in the fridge for at least 3 hours. For a better taste, eat it next day, that is if you can wait so long!

And voila! You can surprise your loved one with an unexpected treat! Be assured that your cheesy gift will beat out any Easter chocolate!