When given the choice, professional chefs and bakers almost always prefer to use European butter imported from France. The simple explanation is that it's more flavorful than other types of butter. The reason why that's the case, however, is a slightly longer story.
A great European-style butter for baking
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.
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.
The butter is essentially a compound mixture — softened butter mixed with savory or sweet ingredients. The recipe yields enough for four steaks but I halved the ingredients since I was cooking for two. Drummond said it's crucial to make this butter in advance, so I prepared it three hours before dinner.
First and foremost, chefs tend to use fresh butter, whereas at home, you're often pulling from the butter carton or slicing into a stick that has been in your fridge for weeks.
Chefs prefer butter because its high fat content yields the most anticipated results, such as texture, tenderness and flakiness. In cakes, cookies, and pastries, butter provides richer flavor because it begins as cream.
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.
Grade AA is the highest possible grade; Grade AA butter must achieve a numerical score of 93 out of 100 points based on its aroma, flavour, and texture. Salt (if present) must be completely dissolved and thoroughly distributed. Grade A butter is almost as good, with a score of 92 out of 100 points.
LURPAK® QUALITY BUTTER SINCE 1901
The most valuable and flavoursome part of the milk – the cream – is carefully "ripened" before the butter making process. Lactic cultures are added, giving a fresh and slightly aromatic note with the unmistakable creaminess that creates the characteristic Lurpak® flavour. That's it.
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.
Chefs, cookbook authors, Instagram baking influencers, even our Test Kitchen Professionals are always espousing the necessity of unsalted butter. It gives you more control over the flavor profile, they say.
Butter is a signature ingredient for many recipes, but never has it figured more prominently than in French cuisine. From baked goods to savory items, butter is thought to add depth and dimension, making everything it coats more spectacular.
Unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe. This is especially important in certain baked goods where the pure, sweet cream flavor of butter is key (butter cookies or pound cakes). As it pertains to cooking, unsalted butter lets the real, natural flavor of your foods come through.
Iodine solution can also be used to test the purity of butter. For this, mix melted butter in an iodine solution. If the colour of this mixture turns brown, it means that the butter is adulterated and starch has been added to it.
Président ®
France's No. 1 butter, has a rich home-made flavour and spreads easily.
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.
He knows that butter is a powerful versatile ingredient and a stick of the stuff is always in the top of his tool box. To a chef, butter is more than a tasty spread for your breakfast toast. It's a flavorful lipid that has hundreds of uses in the kitchen.
Milk solids are the reason butter starts to burn at a lower temperature than something like olive oil. When you clarify butter, you remove all the milk solids and water, but are left with the butterfat. This creates a higher smoke point, which makes clarified butter ideal for cooking and sautéing.
So, what's the difference between margarine and spreads? Margarine must have a fat content of 80% or more (similar to butter). Spreads are similar to margarines, but with less fat. This is why Flora is called a spread – it contains less fat than margarine.