[1] Cut it into pieces and beat it with a hand mixer (all photos © Go Bold With Butter).


[2] Pound the butter soft with a rolling pin.


[3] Grate it.


[4] Cut it up.

 

Yesterday’s tip was about how to use compound butter.

What if you want to make it—or bake, or whatever—but your butter is too hard to use?

Experienced cooks know that for room temperature butter, you need to place the butter on the counter for 30-60 minutes. Don’t use hard or semi-hard butter when the recipe specifies soft.

When the butter is soft enough to use, you’ll be able to place your fingerprint on it to make a depression.

Here are four faster ways to soften your butter. Thanks to Go Bold With Butter and the American Butter Institute for the tip.

No pre-softening is necessary.
 
 
1. BEAT IT

Use a mixer to beat butter until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
 
 
2. POUND IT

Flatten the butter between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin. In just 3-5 minutes, your butter will be softened.
 
 
3. GRATE IT

Grating butter is another quick way to soften it. It takes 5-10 minutes to soften butter using a grater.
 
 
4. CUT IT UP

Cut sticks of butter into small cubes—or small pieces in general. The butter will soften in 20-30 minutes—faster than the 30-60 minutes required to leave the whole bar on the counter.
 
 
MORE ABOUT BUTTER

A Butter Pat In Your Burger

Beurre Blanc, Beurre Noir & Beurre Noisette

The Different Types Of Butter: A Glossary

Fancy Butter Ramekins

The History Of Butter

How To Store Butter

Goat Butter: One Of Our Favorites

Money Saving Tips To Buy Butter For Less

Storing & Using Butter

Tips For Baking With Butter

Using Unsalted Butter For Cooking & Baking

Vermont Butter & Cheese: Our Favorite Butter

When To Use Salted Vs. Unsalted Butter

 
 
IMPORTANT: Never heat the butter to a liquid state instead of softening it on the counter. The recipe chemistry will not work out.

OVERNIGHT SOFTENING: You can leave the butter on the counter to soften overnight. Butter can stay out of the fridge for up to two days.

In the days before refrigeration, people used a butter crock—also called a butter bell or butter keeper—and kept the butter on the counter.

You can find several styles on Amazon, but the one we like best is shaped like a conventional butter holder with a lid, as opposed to a round crock.

Here’s more about the butter crock.

 
  


THE NIBBLE Blog – Adventures In The World Of Fine Food

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