Black truffle salt is one of those special spices that just have to be around if you love truffle food. Most truffle salt you find in stores will be created with black truffle salt. The kind of salt used on each truffle will also vary greatly, as well.

Some will be coarse grains, while some may be fine grains. Some may even be kosher sea salt. Yet others may be a special blend of black truffle salt and Amberg biscuits. No matter what mix, though, truffle salt makes every single truffle taste delicious, rich, and luxurious.

Of course, not everyone can afford to buy these products. Fortunately, you can create your own black truffle salt. If you do this, it’ll be important to keep a few things in mind. Here are the basics of how to make your own salty treats.

Start with good grade sea salt. Most often, truffle salt is simply purchased at a specialty store. These come in different grades, depending on their level of quality. To get the best truffle salt, choose one with a high grade. Unfortunately, this also means that you’ll need to buy more to taste its real, authentic truffle flavor.

Most often, people use Amberg biscuits for this recipe. These are crackers that contain a very small amount of truffle flavor. Because this is the base of the truffle salt, you may decide to keep this ingredient low. If you do, you’ll likely end up with less flavorful truffle flavors.

You can buy bulk Amberg biscuits from a fancy boutique store. These tend to be higher in quality, though. Other common ingredients include white wine, dried fruit, and almonds. When buying bulk ingredients, make sure to ask about black truffle bits. These are pieces of the truffle that have been ground or sanded. The more black truffle pieces you find, the better the truffle salt will be.

As a general rule, the more black truffle salt you use, the less salty your final product will be. So, if you don’t mind using a little bit of extra salt, you can use more of it than someone who is strictly against it. The flavors in these salts develop on the way. It takes time, so don’t expect perfection.

Most people aren’t aware of how their diet affects the taste of truffles, but they can affect the flavor of black truffle sea salt as well. For example, those who are diabetic can experience increased sensitivity to the flavor. People with high blood pressure or hyperactive blood sugar levels should also avoid these truffles, too. Finally, people with a history of food allergies can’t eat them. So check the ingredients list for “allergy-free” truffles, as these might contain traces of other ingredients not safe for those with specific allergies.

As far as the amount of black truffle salt to use, it’s totally up to you. Some enjoy a smaller sprinkle, while others like a larger spread. Feel free to mix it up a bit and see what you come up with. A little experiment is always fun!

While black truffle salt definitely has its place, it’s no substitute for real, fresh truffles. However, it is a good ingredient to have on hand, just in case. You never know when a craving for truffles will hit, and you’ll want to treat yourself to some right then and there. In addition, the flavor combinations that you can create with various truffle ingredients are only limited by your imagination. For example, you can combine the orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and chocolate for a very spicy truffle coat that is very similar to the classic Christmas “tray.”

Of course, there are other kinds of truffles that are great on their own, as well. Go for truffles with nutmeg or Parmesan cheese for a snack that’s rich and creamy, or pair a black truffle salt treat with pears, Mandarin oranges, or applesauce for an easy dessert. Or how about a truffle sandwich? Salted and gilded tortellini shell makes a wonderful base for shredded spinach, parmesan cheese, and Swiss or mozzarella cheese for a delicious lunchtime treat.

As you can see, black truffles don’t have to be a Christmas special treat. Any time of year is perfect to take a spoonful of this salty delight and dig in. You won’t be sorry you did! And as you can see, there are a lot of ways to use this versatile salt. Give it a try next time you’re shopping for truffles and see what else you can create with it!