Truffle Essence

By John, 7 February, 2026
Region
France
Description

This is used in some Escoffier recipes, notably the Sauce Perigueux.

Black winter truffles (Tuber melanosporum) are seasonal, so if you want them out of season, you need them preserved. Most commercial preservation methods rely on heat, which reduces the flavor both in strength and complexity. You can preserve them yourself in good quality Madeira. I use Sercial Madeira.

Yield
8 Ounces
Preparation time
5 minutes
Cooking time
15 minutes
Total time
20 minutes
Ingredients
6 oz Black Truffle (cleaned and ready for use)
8 oz Madeira (See Notes.)
Instructions
  1. Clean the truffles very well with a brush. Do not wash them. 
  2. If you expect to use the truffles chopped or sliced, do that now.
  3. Heat the Madeira in a clean mason jar in a bath of simmering water.
  4. Add the truffles and let them warm for a little while, but do not cook them.
  5. Put the mason jar lid insert on the jar and turn off the heat.
  6. Let the jar cool in the water. When it is cool, the cap should be tight. Screw on the other part of the top and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes

You want a good one that's not too sweet for your intended use. For a Sauce Perigueux, I use the Sercial variety. If that's unavailable, Rainwater is more suitable than Full Rich Madeira. When the time comes you can sweeten the sauce with a little sweeter Madeira, but you can't make it less sweet.