Butter is a key ingredient in many preparations, especially for baked goods. Many recipes point to using softened butter, but you may have forgotten to get it out of the fridge in time. If you need to soften it quickly, there are several solutions. The important thing is to be careful not to heat it too much, to avoid melting it.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Cut the Butter into Small Pieces
Step 1. Weigh the amount of butter needed
Since the dough may warp, it is best to cut and weigh the butter before softening it. Consult the recipe to find out how much butter you need, then weigh it on the scale to make sure you are using the correct amount.
If the stick of butter is whole, you can read the weight on the package and possibly cut only the portion you need
Step 2. Cut the butter into 2-3 cm cubes using a sharp knife
After weighing it, cut it into small pieces of uniform size, so that they all soften at the same time. Separate them well to prevent the butter from coming together again, otherwise it will soften more slowly.
Cutting the butter into cubes increases the amount of surface exposed to the air, so that the butter softens faster
Step 3. Leave the butter cubes at room temperature for 10-20 minutes
Place them on a plate and cover them with aluminum foil or an aluminum tray to protect them from dust. Make sure the butter isn't exposed to direct sunlight to prevent it from melting. Leave the butter at room temperature for about 20 minutes if you need to spread it.
Suggestion:
if you have doubts about the quantities and do not want to risk running out of butter at the time of use, you can let the whole dough soften at room temperature.
Method 2 of 5: Soften the Butter with the Rolling Pin
Step 1. Put the butter between two sheets of parchment paper
Spread a piece of parchment paper on a flat kitchen surface and place the cubed butter in the center of the sheet. Cover the butter with the other sheet of parchment paper, then press the paper down so that it sticks to the butter and stays put. The two sheets must be the same size, so that the butter does not come out from the sides.
If you wish, you can cut the butter into cubes before placing it back on the paper
Step 2. Hit the butter with the rolling pin several times to flatten it
Hold the parchment paper with your non-dominant hand and hold the rolling pin by one handle with the other hand. Give 3-4 dry strokes to the butter to start mashing it. Keep hitting it until it reaches an even thickness.
Warning:
only hit the butter with a rolling pin if you just took it out of the fridge or freezer. Do not use this method if the butter is already at room temperature as it may splash off the sides of the parchment paper.
Step 3. Roll out the butter with a rolling pin
After crushing it, hold the rolling pin with both hands and roll it out as if it were a pizza. Give it a thickness of about half a centimeter to maximize the amount of surface exposed to the air. When you're done, remove the parchment paper covering the butter.
Step 4. Leave the butter at room temperature for about 5 minutes
At this point, it should already be relatively soft, but it's best to leave it at room temperature for 5 minutes before using it. When it is completely soft, you can remove it from the paper and combine it with the rest of the recipe ingredients.
The butter may have stuck to the parchment paper. If necessary, you can scrape it off with a knife
Method 3 of 5: Grate the Butter
Step 1. Measure the amount of butter required by the recipe
Read the weight indicated on the package and cut the portion you need. If it is not possible for you to use the package as a reference point, weigh it with the scale to measure the quantity required by the recipe.
Step 2. Grate the butter in a bowl
Use the side of the grater with the largest holes, so that the flakes of butter are the right size and shape to add to the dough. Grate the butter over a large, clean bowl to serve as a container. Push the butter against the side of the grater, applying even pressure. Continue grating the butter until you have completely reduced it to flakes.
- Move the butter, not the grater, up and down. This way you will have less effort.
- It's easier to grate butter when it's hard, so take it out of the fridge or freezer only at the last moment.
Suggestion:
if you don't want to grease your hands, grab the butter from the package.
Step 3. Let the butter flakes soften for 5 minutes before adding them to your baked goods dough
Leave the butter in the bowl and wait a few minutes for it to come to room temperature. This will make it easier to combine with the other ingredients in the recipe.
- This is the ideal way to soften butter when making crumble or shortbreads.
- You can grate the butter directly into the bowl that contains the other ingredients of the recipe.
Method 4 of 5: Soften the Butter in a Water Bath
Step 1. Heat 500ml of water in a saucepan
Pour the water into a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat. When steam begins to form, reduce the heat.
The water must not boil, otherwise the butter may melt
Step 2. Place a glass or metal bowl on the pot
Make sure the bowl is heat resistant and place it on the pot to soften the butter in a double boiler. Make sure the bowl does not let the steam escape from the pot and let it heat for a couple of minutes.
If you have a bain marie pot, this is a good opportunity to use it
Step 3. Put the butter in the bowl to soften it
When the bowl feels warm to the touch, add the amount of butter you want to soften and keep it in sight as it heats up. The steam produced by the water will heat the bowl and gradually soften the butter. Take a spoon to test the consistency of the butter. When it's soft enough, remove the bowl from above the pot.
Make sure you remove the bowl from the pot before the butter begins to melt
Warning:
gradually the tureen will get hot, so put on oven gloves and get ready to quickly remove it from the heat.
Method 5 of 5: Soften the Butter in the Microwave
Step 1. Cut the butter into cubes about 1 1/2 centimeters large
Use a knife to slice the butter according to the quantity required by the recipe, then cut it into even pieces to make it soften faster. At this point, transfer them to a container suitable for use in the microwave.
It is not necessary to cut the butter, but doing so will soften faster
Step 2. Microwave the butter for 5 seconds
Place the container in the center of the turntable and turn the oven on for 5 seconds. Don't lose sight of the butter to make sure it doesn't melt. After 5 seconds, test the consistency of the cubes in the center with your finger or a spoon.
It generally takes more than 5 seconds to soften the butter, but it depends on the type of microwave oven
Suggestion:
if possible, adjust the microwave power to heat the butter at a low temperature. This way, you won't risk it melting.
Step 3. Heat the butter at 5 second intervals until softened
You have to be careful to prevent it from melting. If the butter is still hard after the first 5 seconds, continue heating it at short intervals until it is completely soft. Never lose sight of it to prevent it from melting. When it has softened, remove it from the microwave and mix it with the other ingredients in the recipe.
The butter may start melting suddenly, so be prepared to turn off the microwave and take out the container immediately
Advice
- You can keep a whole stick of butter at room temperature to always have it at hand when you need it.
- Don't use salted butter to avoid compromising the taste of your baked goods.
