Brown butter is made by heating common butter a little past the melting point, until the solids in the butter begin to brown, releasing a fabulous nutty aroma. Brown butter is therefore a delicious alternative to hazelnut in a wide range of recipes. Once you understand the preparation it is not difficult to do, just have a watchful eye and be precise in the times.
Steps
Step 1. Cut the butter into slices
Use the measurements indicated on the wrapper of the dough or do it by eye. Remember that the most important thing is that the slices are all roughly the same size, so that they all melt at the same time.
- In most of the known recipes, the essential requirements for a correct preparation are: use butter without added salts and the right cooking temperature.
- Do not pay attention to the temperature of the butter when you put it in the pan, whether it is soft at room temperature or cold in the refrigerator, at the moment of melting it will make no difference.
Step 2. Place the slices in a thick-bottomed pan
The choice of the pot to use is important:
- Unlike pans, which generally have a thinner bottom, heat up more dispersively and sometimes create more or less hot spots on the cooking bottom, pans increase heat evenly, the ideal condition for making brown butter.
- Another essential requirement of the procedure is to cook with a light colored pan, stainless steel is very suitable for this use, as it will allow you to more accurately observe the color of the butter as it fry.
Step 3. Start cooking over medium heat and start stirring it with a whisk without stopping
It is possible to brown the butter faster over high heat, but keep in mind that it would greatly increase the chances of getting burned. If you are not willing to take the risk, keep cooking over medium or slow heat
Step 4. Look closely at the color
Once the butter has completely liquefied it will not take long before it begins to foam and boil, this happens due to the evaporation of the water present in the butter and the separation between the milk solids and animal fat. As the frothing subsides, small brown spots will begin to form, a sign that the milk solids are starting to burn.
- Remember not to stop stirring while the stains form, doing so will help the milk solids brown evenly!
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During the burning of the milk solids you will feel a delicious nutty aroma spreading through your kitchen. The French term for brown butter is "beurre noisette" or: hazelnut butter.
Brown Butter Step 4Bullet2
Step 5. Remove the pot from the heat
Once the brown spots start to form turn off the gas and remove the pot from the stove, continue stirring the contents, as the residual heat from the pan will continue to brown the butter.
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After about 30 seconds, the consistency will have taken on a pleasant amber color, then transfer the butter to a heat-resistant dish, which stops cooking.
Brown Butter Step 5Bullet1 - If you don't remove the butter from the heat at the right time or leave it still in the pan while it is still hot, the milk solids will begin to blacken and then burn within seconds. If so, you'll have to start all over again.
Step 6. You can use it in a variety of recipes to add a toasty, buttery flavor with a strong nutty aroma to a variety of foods
Try to:
- Pour it over some roasted winter vegetables such as pumpkin or potatoes (perhaps together with a little sage).
- Replace it with solid butter in the preparation of sauces that use it as a base.
- Glaze it and use it in the preparation of desserts or to make ice cream.
- Use it in any cookie recipe that calls for melted butter.
- The uses are endless.
Advice
- Keep an eye on the butter constantly as it cooks to make sure it doesn't burn.
- It is recommended to use a small and compact pan or pot.
