Brown butter

[Darienne]

I looked it up on search and on google and just got more enmeshed in too many answers to figure it out.

Please tell me if it has many variants, if it is one thing, how you make it, why should you make it, etc.

I'm learning as fast as I can........

[Florida]

beurre noisette (aka "brown butter") is butter that is cooked to where the milk solids are slightly caramelized. This imparts a light brown color and a nutty flavor to the butter. It is often used as the base for simple sauces for fish, pasta, potatoes, or other lightly flavored foods, but can also be used as an ingredient in other recipes.

I wouldn't say there are many variants of brown butter, though how much you allow the milk solids to burn will affect the final outcome. Rather, just like butter itself, it is quite versatile and has many uses.

[RWood]

I looked it up on search and on google and just got more enmeshed in too many answers to figure it out. 

Please tell me if it has many variants, if it is one thing, how you make it, why should you make it, etc.

I'm learning as fast as I can........

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You melt butter over low heat and allow it to cook until the milk solids turn brown and starts to smell nutty. It is easy to burn, so you have to watch it closely.

Variants, not really. You can brown it to different degrees I suppose, but too light and it's not going to have enough flavor, and too dark it will be useless.

Why make it? It's wonderful , especially if a vanilla bean is in with it. I make a brown butter tart with poached pears, brown butter cake, madeleines. And something like butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce is to die for.

I don't think it would be bad on anything

[Tri2Cook]

And just to get maximum harvest for your effort, add some dry milk powder to the butter and let it brown too. When you seive off the butter you'll have some nice brown butter solids to play with.

[mkayahara]

Variants, not really.  You can brown it to different degrees I suppose, but too light and it's not going to have enough flavor, and too dark it will be useless.

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Couldn't beurre noir/black butter be considered a brown butter variant where the solids are simply taken to a darker shade? I agree with you that, if you go too dark, it's just burnt, but I think there's some room to manoeuvre in there.

One other thing I've learned about brown butter: don't try making it in a nonstick skillet. It's too hard to tell what colour the milk solids are when they're against a black background.

[qrn]

And just to get maximum harvest for your effort, add some dry milk powder to the butter and let it brown too. When you seive off the butter you'll have some nice brown butter solids to play with.

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Will this solve the problem that butter, these days does not "brown" like it did in the

"old"days, because the solid content is lower??? I have tried adding buttermilk and cream to try and replicate the old stuff but to no avail...Will try this however

Bud

[amccomb]

So, you don't use the solids? Or they have other applications? If so, what do you use them for?

[highchef]

I have a brown butter cookie recipe from Cooks's mag. around here somewhere. I made ice cream cookies w/them and I thought they were great. The kids didn't like them as much, they want a softer cookie like they get when they buy them at the store, but I loved the combo w/vanilla icecream. great affinity for each other..

I'll dig out the old cook's if you want the recipe. I've been meaning to make them again and crush some for a cheesecake crust. Why not? people use vanilla wafers, etc...the brown butter flavor should be awsome. seems like I saw a recipe using brown butter and pecans somewhere as well. Maybe an icecream recipe. I'll check my file.

[RWood]

So, you don't use the solids?  Or they have other applications?  If so, what do you use them for?

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I always use the solids. It adds a nice flecked appearance to cookies, cakes, etc. I've made a butter pecan ice cream that is made with brown butter that the pecans are tossed it as well. It's very nice.

[Tri2Cook]

What RWood said... and you can also puree them with a bit of water and use it to get a nice brown butter flavor without the fat.

[Lisa Shock]

Brown butter has a ton of uses in the bakeshop, most cakes (especially the nut flavored ones) will benefit from its use. If you are substituting it for regular butter in a recipe make sure to adjust your liquid amounts since regular butter is about 20% water and brown butter has no water.

On the savory side, it can be used very effectively in sauces or is delicious as a simple sauce on its own. It's my favorite dressing for a baked potato, along with some salt. I find that it adds richness and depth to Alfredo sauce.

You can make a batch and store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it.

[Darienne]

Well, that's a lot of useful replies. Now I have to try it.

I saw it on the Bake-Off for Shortbread Cookies and thought it was about time I figured out what it was.

Thanks

[tmriga]

Land O'Lakes has a fabulous browned butter shortbread recipe on it's website.

Theresa

[Darienne]

Land O'Lakes has a fabulous browned butter shortbread recipe on it's website.

Theresa

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Thanks. Found it. A practical and clear application of the browned butter issue.

[paulraphael]

And just to get maximum harvest for your effort, add some dry milk powder to the butter and let it brown too. When you seive off the butter you'll have some nice brown butter solids to play with.

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I like this trick and use it in some recipes. In a couple of cases when I've used too high a proportion of the dry milk the results tasted bitter, so I try not to go too far.

Another approach is one Michael Laiskonis uses ... he reduces and browns cream instead of butter. It's a bit more effort, but the yield in milk solids vs. fat is much higher

[Darienne]

And just to get maximum harvest for your effort, add some dry milk powder to the butter and let it brown too. When you sieve off the butter you'll have some nice brown butter solids to play with.

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I like this trick and use it in some recipes. In a couple of cases when I've used too high a proportion of the dry milk the results tasted bitter, so I try not to go too far.

Another approach is one Michael Laiskonis uses ... he reduces and browns cream instead of butter. It's a bit more effort, but the yield in milk solids vs. fat is much higher

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Thanks Paul. I read about Laiskonis reducing and browning cream in his blog.

At least I can understand what it means now.