In Australia butter has a requirement to have a minimum of 80% butterfat. In France the minimum is 82% and some European butters have as much as 84% butterfat. Although this seems like a small variation it makes for a significant difference in taste and performance in various baking and cooking recipes.
French butter is cultured (like yogurt), so it has a deeper flavor profile, almost tangy but not quite. The churning process is slightly different than here in the US, resulting in a creamier consistency.
European butter and particularly French butter have at least 82% or 85% fat, whereas American butter is made to match a standard of 80% fat. This difference in fat ratio gives French butter not only a rich flavor but also a softer texture and a low melting point which describes well French butter.
He explains that Australian dairy cattle graze on grass with high levels of beta carotene — the compound that makes carrots orange — and butter yellow. Many European cattle are housed in barns and fed dry food containing less beta carotene. "Our butter also has higher levels of vitamins A and K," Issa says.
American butter averages 80 percent fat, while European standards hover around 85 and 87 percent, with the legal French minimum being 82 percent. It's not a huge difference – we're talking 5 to 7 percent – but it's enough to give European butter a deeper, richer flavor than its American counterpart.
European butter has at least 82% fat while American butter only needs to reach the 80% threshold set by the USDA. That might not seem like a huge gap, but it's the key to what makes French butter a favorite among chefs and bakers. They know that more fat means less water which leads to more flavor.
Bordier. France's Bordier is often considered by many in the culinary world to be among the best butter brands on the market. This is because of Bordier's determination to return to traditional methods, where the butter is kneaded by hand on a wooden table instead of being processed with factory equipment.
“In Australia and New Zealand, the cows are fed on pasture, so their milk contains a yellow-orange pigment called beta-carotene, which makes the butter yellow. In many other countries, especially Europe, the cows are fed on grain, so the colour of the butter is a pale, cream colour.”
Olive Oil. Olive oil is the most popular butter replacement and can be used for cooking and baking. Keep in mind that the taste of olive oil can vary, so be sure to choose a mild-tasting variety.
French butter is used in cooking, baking, and is consumed on tartines (a French breakfast tradition whereby a slice of bread- typically a baguette is spread with jam and butter). Of course, it is also used by French bakeries in many of your favourite baked goods!
Popularly known as the best butter in the world, Le Beurre Bordier Butter is made from the highest quality ingredients. It's preservative free, grass fed, and locally sourced from small farms in Brittany, France, making Bordier's Butter a very healthy choice and giving it a taste you'll never forget!
Isigny sur Mer (AOC/AOP d'Isigny beurre) in Normandy, has known fame since the 16th century. The milk for this butter comes from cows grazing in sea-sprayed pastures of grass rich in iodine and beta-carotene. The resulting butter is sunny yellow, creamy and smooth, and tastes like hazelnuts.
Culturing is a process most commonly used in France, which means that the cream from the milk is left to ferment before it is churned. By introducing bacteria to the cream, the sugars are converted to lactic acid, giving it a sourer and 'buttery' taste. This culturing is what makes French butter so irresistible.
The most obvious difference is butterfat: By law, American butter must contain at least 80 percent, while the minimum for French butter is 82 percent (unless it is demi-sel, or salted butter, which can check in at 80 percent and include up to 2 percent salt).
Plugra is often the choice of American pro bakers because of its light color; darker butters like Kerrygold can lend a stronger yellow color to baked goods. That said, Kerrygold is also a great choice for baking and cooking, though it's truly excellent by itself on bread.
Lactic cultures are added, giving a fresh and slightly aromatic note with the unmistakable creaminess that creates the characteristic Lurpak® flavour. That's it. Nothing more is added, apart from a pinch of salt to our Slightly Salted varieties of butter.
Why is lurpak white? Lurpak uses a Lactic culture as opposed to sweet cream. Lactic culture is very pale, giving Lurpak it's creamy white colour.
CopperTree Farms naturally cultured butter is known for it's almost white colour and creamy taste.
That is, in part, due to Australia's dwindling milk supply, as well as continued inflation. Rabobank senior analyst Michael Harvey said the expected price rises would come as consumers already felt squeezed by the highest food inflation in two decades.
Bordier Butter, made in the Brittany region of France, is very possibly the best butter in the world. Unfortunately it's made in small batches and sold almost excusively in France.
This helps create more consistent results for home bakers replicating a recipe. In general, salted butter is preferred for cooking (or simply spreading) as it adds more flavour and has a longer shelf life, while unsalted butter is the go-to for baking.
Scroll down to discover the LURPAK® difference.
LURPAK® is a really fresh, versatile, good all-round butter. Its lactic cultures are really evident when you taste it against other butters. These add an element of acidity which makes it a great butter for cooking steak, and it caramelises the meat really well.