Beurre Noisette is the French Term for Browned Butter
Table of contents
BROWNED BUTTER – BEURRE NOISETTE
Beurre noisette, or browned butter, is easy to make and adds incredible flavor to lots of dishes. It’s the secret ingredient for improving baked goods like cakes, pies and cookies.
METHOD FOR MAKING BROWNED BUTTER
We have tried a number of ways to do this, and this is by far the fastest and easiest method. We tried doubling the amount of butter to make a larger batch, but it took five times longer. We tried using the microwave and even using the Instant Pot on sauté, but nothing compared to the simple pan method.
The butter is heated in a stainless steal pan (not a cast iron pan or a pan with a stick proof coating). Only use half a cup at a time. You can start on medium high at first until the butter melts and forms too much foam or stars to pop, then adjust the temperature to keep control. Stir slowly, but constantly, with an heat resistant spatula (not metal, because it’s going to get hot), until the milk solids in the butter turn brown. It will take about five minutes. The browning is occurring beneath the foam, so move the foam aside to check how dark the butter is. The foam will subside as the water evaporates. When it’s as brown as you want it, pour it immediately into a glass, heat resistant container so it doesn’t get any darker. A glass storage bowl is perfect for this because the butter can be poured out of the pan and into the storage bowl as soon as it is brown enough. This stops it from getting too brown. A plastic container could be damaged by the high heat, and a glass container that isn’t heat resistant might crack. The container should be on a cooling rack or trivet to protect the counter surface.
Browning the butter gives the it a nutty flavor. It can be made as brown as you like it, but be careful not to allow it to burn. We often make it more or less browned depending on the intended use. It also allows the water to evaporate, leaving the browned butter with a higher fat content than butter. European butter has more butterfat and less water than American butter, so we often substitute browned butter for half the European butter that is called for, adding flavor and bringing the butterfat up to the right amount.
We like to have it on hand and ready to be used, so we make it ahead of time and always have some in the refrigerator that is cooled and solid.
INGREDIENTS FOR BEURRE NOISETTE
We use Horizon butter because of the high quality and also because the company has made changes to become carbon positive.
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Equipment
- stainless steel sauté pan
- heat resistant spatula
- heat resistant glass storage container
- cooling rack
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 110 grams Horizon butter
Instructions
- Place a heat resistant glass storage container on a cooling rack near the stove to have it ready.
- Heat the butter in a stainless steel sauté pan over medium-high heat, stirring the pan slowly but constantly with a heat resistant spatula. The butter will melt and then start to foam. If the butter starts popping, or the volume of foam increases too much, quickly reduce the heat, or remove the pan from the heat. As the water in the butter evaporates, the foam will subside. The butter is browning beneath the foam, so move the foam aside with the spatula to check the color. When the butter is light golden to dark golden brown it is done. The taste will be different depending on how long it is browned and how dark it becomes. Do not let it burn. This should take just a few minutes.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into the heat resistant glass storage container that is on a cooling rack or trivet. Allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Store in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS SUSTAINABLE:
Check out the chart on the blog post to see how food choices affect climate change. This recipe uses responsible brands and items that are lower on the chart and the production creates less greenhouse gas.
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Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography