Truffles with Emmanuel Mollois

What’s black and knobbly, grows underground, has a complex earthy aroma and almost indescribable taste and costs up to $3000 dollars per kilo? Truffles of course! This week’s episode is all about the seriously decadent Australian-grown, black French Perigord truffle inspired by the Mundaring Truffle Festival in the Perth hills 40 minutes east of Perth. It’s here that Poh and Emmanuel take part in cooking demonstrations, truffle tastings, a truffle degustation dinner and the world’s longest truffle themed lunch and where 40,000 people are lucky enough to sample one of the most expensive edible commodities in the world. Back home Poh cooks Chicken Mousse and Truffle Soup Dumplings – a recipe she was inspired to create after experimenting with truffles and which Poh calls ‘Frinese’ – a fusion of French and Chinese using a French chicken mousse combined with truffles and a liquid chicken soup inside a traditional Chinese dumpling. A surprisingly subtle taste and combination of textures with the unmistakable flavour and aroma of truffle. Emmanuel, true to his French pastry chef training, combines truffles in pastry with a truffle and Creme Anglaise and apple filling in his Tarte Coquelin with Truffles and combines it with a decadent creamy Truffle Ice Cream.