Discovering the Magic of Browned Butter in Baking
In the world of baking, there's a simple yet often overlooked ingredient that can elevate your treats to new heights: browned butter.
With its rich, nutty flavour and golden hue, browned butter adds depth and complexity to a wide range of baked goods.
Let's dive into the basics of browned butter for baking, from how to make it to why it's worth incorporating into your favourite recipes.
What is Browned Butter?
Browned butter, also known as beurre noisette, is butter that has been cooked until its milk solids turn brown, imparting a nutty aroma and flavour.
As butter melts and simmers, its milk solids begin to toast, giving the butter a rich, nutty flavour and a beautiful golden colour.
This simple yet game-changing technique enhances the taste and texture of baked goods, making them more flavourful and delicious. You can use browned butter to elevate so many loved treats such as blondies, cookies and sauces.
How to Make Browned Butter for Baking: Step-by-Step Guide
Making browned butter is a lot simpler than you'd think. All it takes is one pan, a little patience and a watchful eye to remove from the heat before the butter goes from golden brown to burnt! Follow the easy steps below to make your own browned butter at home.
Start with Unsalted Butter: When using browned butter for baking, I always recommend using unsalted butter to have control over the saltiness of your baked treats.
Melt the Butter:Â In a light-coloured saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Continue Heating:Â As the butter melts, it will start to foam. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating.
Watch for Browning:Â After a few minutes, the foam will subside, and the butter will begin to brown. Keep a close eye on it, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Remove from Heat:Â Once the butter turns a golden brown colour, emits a nutty aroma, and you can see brown specks at the bottom of the pan, your browned butter is ready. Remove it from the heat immediately to prevent overcooking.
Cool and Use:Â Allow the browned butter to cool slightly before using it in your baking recipes. It's now ready to infuse your treats with its rich flavour. You can even cool the butter down completely in the fridge to use for the creaming method in sponges and buttercream.
Why Use Browned Butter in Baking?
Once you discover the taste of browned butter, you'll want to add it to every baked good and recipe you come across! Here are some of the reasons I like to use browned butter in my baking:
Enhanced Flavour:Â Browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavour to baked goods, enhancing their overall taste and aroma. Cookies and brownies in particular taste less sickly sweet and have a richer, more balanced flavour profile when using browned butter.
Improved Texture:Â Baking with browned butter can also improve the texture of baked treats, making them moist and tender. This is particularly the case with cookies and sponge cakes.
Visual Appeal:Â The golden colour of browned butter gives baked goods an attractive appearance, enticing both the eyes and the taste buds. Cookies will appear richer and golden brown, blondies will have a beautiful golden finish instead of the pale yellow colour you'll typically find. Sauces will have beautiful specs of browned butter solids running through them.
Unlock the Magic: Try Our Browned Butter Baking Recipes!
Ready to experience the magic of browned butter in your baking? Try out these delicious recipes:
Browned Butter Blondies
These chewy, buttery blondies are elevated to new heights with the addition of browned butter. They're a sweet treat that's hard to resist! They have a crispier exterior and a softer, more gooey interior. The flavour is also more complex, with a deep, caramelised taste that is both sweet and savoury. Get the recipe here!
Pear, Cardamom, and Browned Butter Bundts
These pear, cardamom and browned butter bundts were a customer favourite for Copper Spoon Cakery for years and still remain my favourite sweet treat! They're the perfect balance between sweet, rich and fragrant. The browned butter glaze adds an extra indulgence to the super soft sponge.
Please beware... they are highly addictive and you'll struggle to resist a second helping! This recipe can be made into a large bundt cake or mini "bundtlettes". Try the Pear, Cardamom and Browned Butter Bundt recipe here.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Baking with Browned Butter
Browned butter is a simple yet powerful ingredient that can transform your baked goods. By mastering the art of making browned butter and incorporating it into your recipes, you can elevate your baking to new heights of flavour and texture. So, next time you're in the kitchen, don't hesitate to reach for the butter and experience the magic of browned butter for yourself!
Happy Baking x