Truffle Blue Cheese Burger

With caramelized onions.

• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Mail

I was on a trip to Leuven, Belgium, when we went to a burger restaurant that featured truffle burgers as well as blue cheese burgers. I was so lost between the two and did not know which to choose. Luckily, my friend agreed to share both with me so we could try them out. The richness of the flavors was overwhelmingly good that my memory of Belgium is summarized in that burger experience. I came back home and decided to combine the two for the ultimate burger. At first, I feared that the strong flavor of blue cheese would mask the subtle flavor of truffles, but having discovered Le Bleu de Vercors-Sassenage, an amazing not-so-strong French blue cheese from the region in which I live, I thought it was worth a shot. Needless to say, the flavors married so well together, and it was the best burger I’ve ever tasted! I am so excited to share the recipe with you.

You can find this recipe’s video on Instagram and on Tiktok.

Ingredients

Burger Buns

Note: The recipe for the burger buns is an almost exact replica of Joshua Weissman’s burger bun recipe.

For 6 burger buns, you need:

For the Tangzhong (a Japanese roux):

• 20g bread flour
• 30g water
• 60g whole milk

For the dough:

• 120g whole milk
• 1 tablespoon or 10g instant yeast
• 320g bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 tablespoons or 35g sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 45g softened unsalted butter

For the eggwash:

• 1 whole egg
• A splash of milk

Truffle Aïoli

I made a large quantity of the sauce to use it as a dip for fries. You may cut the quantity in half.

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large one, degermed
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil
• The juice of one lemon and a half (about 50mL)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups neutral oil (yes, aïoli is usually made with olive oil, but we do not want to mask the flavor of truffles)

Caramelized Onions

• 5-10 large onions
• A generous amount of salt
• Some olive oil or butter

Burger Patty and Toppings

For one burger:

• 175g fatty ground beef
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt
• A slice of Bleu de Sassenage cheese, or any other blue cheese
• Lettuce, tomatoes and pickles

Procedure

Burger Buns

1. Start by making the Tangzhong, which is a kind of Japanese roux used to make breads fluffier. Combine the flour, milk, and water in a small saucepan and whisk till combined.
2. Bring to heat while continuously mixing till you get a thick paste (happens within 30-60 seconds), then bring to room temperature before using.
3. For the dough, start by mixing the yeast with warm milk and let bloom for about 10 minutes.
4. In a standmixer bowl, add the flour, salt, and sugar, then mix together at the lowest setting.
5. Once combined, add the milk yeast mixture, as well as the Tangzhong. Mix until combined, then add the egg and egg yolk. Keep mixing until the dough is smooth, for about 10 minutes, making sure to scrape down the edges every now and then.
6. Gradually add the softened butter while mixing, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
7. On a floured surface, bring the dough into a ball shape, then place it in a greased bowl covered with a damp towel to rise for 1 to 1,5 hours, or until doubled in size.
8. Once risen, punch the air out of the dough and flatten it on a floured surface. Divide the dough equally (use a scale) into 6 parts.
9. Take each part and stretch the edges into the center to form a ball shape, then start pulling the dough ball towards you, seam side down, while rotating it to tighten the seam and form a better round shape.
10. Place on a baking tray, well separated, then let rise again in a covered place (like a turned off oven, or by covering the tray yet keeping space for the rising) for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
11. In a bowl, whisk a whole egg and a splash of milk together.
12. Once the buns have risen, brush each one well with the egg wash, but do not apply too much pressure.
13. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 17-20 minutes or until they have a deep brown color.
14. Brush the baked buns with some melted butter for a better shine, then let them cool down to room temperature before using.

Caramelized onions

A simple yet long procedure, but I assure you that it is well worth it and that it makes all the difference.

1. Slice onions thinly and place in a good heat retaining pot like a Dutch oven.
2. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and add a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Bring to heat on a medium heat while mixing every now and then.
4. Once the onions start releasing a good amount of water in the center of the pot, reduce the heat to low.
5. Let cook for 4 hours, while mixing every 10-15 minutes, to make sure the heat is shared equally among the onions.
6. Towards the end, when the onions start becoming golden brown and the caramelization begins, you need to mix more often, as they may start sticking to the bottom of the pan. In this step, you may increase the heat a bit to accelerate the process, but not before.
7. Stop when the onions reach a deep golden brown color.

Truffle Aïoli

1. Add all the ingredients except the neutral oil in a bowl and whisk together.
2. Slowly drizzle the oil while continuously whisking to emulsify the sauce. You may add more oil if you want your sauce to be thicker.

The Burger

1. Form your patties into circular shapes, a bit larger than the burger bun, as they will shrink while cooking. Season generously with salt but not pepper (the pepper will burn with high heat; you may add it after the patty is cooked).
2. Bring a pan to high heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
3. Carefully place the patty towards the opposite direction of you, and cook without touching on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, depending on how well cooked you like the burger to be.
4. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes, then place the slice of blue cheese.
5. Add a drizzle of water (1 teaspoon) to create vapor and cover the pan to melt the cheese. This should take about 1 minute.
6. Toast your buns in some butter.
7. On the bottom part, add the truffle aïoli, some lettuce, a slice of tomato and some pickles. Add the patty, along with a good amount of caramelized onions, then add more sauce to the top part of the burger bun and cover.

Enjoy the best burger of your life!