It’s a big reason the food we cook at home tastes good. While most butter is 80% butterfat, Plugrá is 82% butterfat, resulting in a richer and moister cake, with exceptional flavor. Plugrá is a European style butter that was specifically designed to produce superior baked goods. It's easy to customize butter on your own, but if you'd rather buy a version with mix-ins already included, Bennett's Butter Co. has you covered. At its most basic, butter is simply churned cow’s milk, a process that separates the solid butterfat from the liquid buttermilk. Lower moisture helps you create cakes that rise higher, cookies that crisp more evenly, and flakier pastries. The biggest difference in butter is the amount of salt. "It's easy to incorporate into recipes or to serve lightly-salted [as a] spread for crusty bread.". She also uses it in laminated dough and butter-enriched dough. I like eating it over any fresh breads or pastries. “No matter what I am making, I use unsalted butter,” says Carey Bell, head baker at Proof Bakeshop in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s butter, after all, and it makes everything better. Butter is composed of butterfat, milk solids, and water—the last of which accounts for 14 to 18% of butter’s volume. This brand is a long-time favorite among chefs, and executive chef Craig Hopson of. "When I'm looking for a more dimensional butter, Meyenberg Goat Milk butter is one of my all-time favorite favorites," pastry chef Zairah Molina of CUT by Wolfgang Puck in New York City told INSIDER. In my opinion a good piecrust comes more from technique rather than the fat content of the butter—there is only a few percent difference in moisture content between the two.”, For everything else, from muffins and cakes to laminated dough and biscuits, Livsey says there is no room for debate. We asked a group of experts for their top butter recommendations. Butter from which the milk solids have been strained off has a much higher … Why pay extra for imported butter from France when the local goods can be bought for much less? Chef Dieter Samijn from Bar Boulud in New York City particularly favors Beurre D'Isigny, a butter from the Normandy region. Copyright 2021 - Taste, A Division of Penguin Random House LLC. Nin favors the higher fat Plugra, an 82 percent butter made in America, for desserts when you are trying to achieve a richer flavor, like you would want with rich chocolate sauces. This approach is noticeable in every bite.". That high fat ratio is perfect,” she says. “It gets its lift from the steam escaping from the dough; a butter with more water in it can contribute to a crisper, lighter cream puff,” she says. Four would buy it for baking; three for table butter. ", "When I'm looking for a more dimensional butter, Meyenberg Goat Milk butter is one of my all-time favorite favorites," pastry chef Zairah Molina of. A higher water content can cause the butter to freeze faster and harder which makes it difficult to work with. In addition to the above, Livsey loves using a cultured butter—one like Organic Valley that’s inoculated with live cultures, though he says it’s not ideal in baking or cooking. Also, melted and slathered over some packed lobster or shrimp, this butter is amazing. Panels of 21 tasters sampled them in three blind tastings: plain, in pound cake, and in sugar cookies. It is 82.9 percent butterfat. The reason: Its moisture content is too low. "I absolutely love Amish Country Roll Butter," chef Jainine Jaffer of Shiraz Restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada, told INSIDER. A Baker’s Golden Rule: Not All Butter Is Created Equal. I like eating it over any fresh breads or pastries. Plugra unsalted doesn't taste of sweet dairy like other unsalted butters, and thus reminds me of the admonition of "Aunt T" in the movie "A Family Thing", instructing Robert Duvall's character to be sure to get her salted, not unsalted, butter: She explains that a European-style butter is especially important when laminating dough for croissants and other viennoiserie. This rich butter is made in Ireland and has a pale yellow color, because it is made from grass-fed cow’s milk, free of antibiotics and hormones, with 82 percent butterfat. Plugrá butter contains less water than average table butter… "I also love the round log it comes in, which makes it very convenient to shave off thin slices.". You can use it for cooking as well, like mashed potatoes or sautéed anything! 2. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. These butters are often richer (more butterfat), making it ideal for baking since it melts quicker. An 82 percent butterfat European-style butter made in America. "Some other brands don't include the lines on the packaging of each stick to help with measurements, or tell the customer if the stick is salted or unsalted," Klein said. Plugra Clarified Unsalted Butter is a European Style butter ideal for:dipping seafood, sautes, grilling, sauces, making baklava and confections. These distinctions can make a difference to your baking project—whether it’s piecrust, cookies, cakes, biscuits, or muffins. Methodology. And while pretty much any brand of butter will do the trick, pro chefs tend to gravitate toward especially creamy, rich, and flavorful versions. Plugra butter is better for baking because it contains less water than average table butter. “It’s the highest-fat butter we could find,” she says. Jaffer says the butter is made with a combination of whey and sweet creams too, which amps up the flavor. The first rule of thumb? Its cows are not antibiotic and hormone free. As for the best way to eat it, Joo suggests spread over a slice of toasted sourdough. Cool on a rack before serving. For everyday cooking and baking, this convenient, affordable butter is our new top choice. This gives it a creamy texture and a more developed flavor profile, making it a favorite among chefs like Judy Joo of Jinjuu in London, England. Klein told INSIDER the butter is her go-to for it's "neutral" flavor and consistency. Anchor butter is made in New Zealand, where cows are grass-fed and free of hormones. If you do a side by side taste test with toast or bread, you may notice that Plugra tastes richer than regular. A common complaint is when a cold stick of butter won't spread easily across a slice of toast. For baking purposes, the Test Kitchen recommends using unsalted butter so you can better control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Regular butter is 80% butterfat and 20% water. Arrange the sablés on the baking sheet(s) and bake until just turning golden, about 10 minutes. It is organic and comes in at a whopping 84 percent butterfat. Trader Joe's is famous for its frozen foods and snacks, but it also knows how to make functional and flavorful kitchen staples. “Laminated goods are all about that rich butter flavor and that airy texture inside. Their top placing butter was the European-style butter, Plugra, which had a “thick and luscious” flavor and also produced crisp, tender cookies in the baking test. Chef Matt Barth of T&Cakes in Boulder, Colorado, is a devoted Bennett's fan, and he's especially partial to one variety. Layer the butter. We tasted seven top-selling unsalted butters, all sold in individually wrapped ¼-pound sticks, priced from $4.49 to $7.58 per pound. "It has a slightly higher fat percentage (83% or higher sometimes) compared to other types of butter, which makes it more spreadable even when cold.". "I absolutely love Amish Country Roll Butter," chef Jainine Jaffer of. in Los Angeles, California, explained why. Minerva would be great as an every day butter, well balanced, good on bread, in pastas, baking and sauces without altering the flavor of the dish by much. Plugra is around 83% butterfat. 's Director of Pastry Programs Alex Levin says the solution is Plugra European-Style Butter that spreads easily because of its fat content. It has a higher butterfat content of 82% and a rich, pleasant yet mild flavor. "[My favorite] domestic butter would be from Vermont Creamery — very creamy, slightly tangy and rich, very 'French style,' and it's widely available," Hopson told INSIDER. It's easy to customize butter on your own, but if you'd rather buy a version with mix-ins already included. “On the other hand, the flaky crust comes from the chunks of butter melting in the oven and releasing steam, which comes from moisture. Whether you're looking for butter to spread on toast or a dairy product ideal for cooking, you'll find both with Vermont Creamery. Never use whipped butter from a tub or light butter in baking. Although certainly delicious on its own, butter is also a prime canvas for creative flavors. Plugra is known for its high percentage of butterfat - a significant 2% larger than that of most butters. Made in USA. Step by Step Instructions Keep reading for the step by step instructions with process photos to guide you through making the cake, the filling and the frosting all … Pâte à choux, a light pastry dough used to make profiterole, éclairs, quenelles and gougères. It might not seem like a huge difference, but this slight increase gives the butter a creamier taste. Plus another major plus is its packaging. Cow's milk butter isn't the only game in town. Also, melted and slathered over some packed lobster or shrimp, this butter is amazing. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and put in the freezer for 20 minutes. Land O'Lakes unsalted butter, which is made with sweet cream, has a creamy texture and … A few things we know for sure: European butter is more expensive than other store-bought butters. We spoke to the experts. You’re looking at very fine details at this point. Although churned in a European-style, Plugra is owned by the Dairy Farmers of America cooperative. [Beurre D'Isigny] is the best, and you can easily find it," Chef Dieter Samijn from, Easy to find in American grocery stores, Kerrygold Butter from Ireland has a higher fat content than its US-made counterparts. And water can be the enemy. "It's a California staple with an artisanal approach, as Challenge uses only milk from family-run, grass-only farms," Donald told INSIDER. "My favorite is Bennett's Butter Everything Bagel Butter. If you’re using butter with a lower fat content (see "Additional Thoughts" above), cut the time down to 15 minutes. Cabot butter averages about 80.6 percent butterfat. Plenty of luxe types of butter exist on the market, but time-honored supermarket staples like Land O'Lakes can totally get the job done, especially in a utilitarian baking context. "It's perfect on crusty fresh bread, rolls or pancakes. It goes great on everything from baked salmon and roasted sweet potatoes to homemade popcorn or kettle corn. With unsalted butter, you can control the salt content, which is an essential step in baking. This butter is made in season from May through September, when cows are feasting on summer pastures. "It tastes like what butter should be, with a very subtle buttermilk-esque tang. Case in point: the Cultured Salted Butter, a favorite of Los Angeles chef and author of "101 Asian Dishes You Need To Cook Before You Die" Jet Tila. European butter is often fermented, given it a tangy, slightly sour taste. "My favorite butter is Plugra European-Style butter," Levin told INSIDER. “You can stick to a standard supermarket butter for chocolate chip cookies, because you are adding so many other things that it doesn’t matter as much.” She also cautions that if you are using Grandma’s old recipe for cookies, stick with lower fat content because that’s probably what Grandma was using at the time. * 99.8% concentrate * Ready to use * No splattering * High smoke point * Refrigeration not requiredIngredients: cream, contains milk. "[Beurre D'Isigny] is the best, and you can easily find it," Chef Dieter Samijn from Bar Boulud in New York City told INSIDER, adding to check your local Whole Foods or speciality grocery stores. Get it now on Libro.fm using the button below. "It's butter from grass-fed cows in Normandy, available with rock salt or unsalted.". Her work has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, and a host of other publications, including The Strong Buzz, her blog devoted to New York City’s food scene. Plugra Butter - 2.09k Followers, 1.19k Following, 3375 pins | Plugrá European-Style Butter is slow-churned for less moisture, the secret to richer, creamier sauces, flakier pastries, and sizzling sautés. She also uses it in laminated dough and butter-enriched dough. ", "It has a printed shelf-life of one month, but I kept one roll of butter in my fridge for a good 6 months and it kept perfectly fine," Jaffer said. “That’s a good finishing butter, but you don’t want to cook with it because if you do, that tang from the taste will get lost.” Instead, slather it on bread or use it to finish a sauce. A common complaint is when a cold stick of butter won't spread easily across a slice of toast. "It always has the best results.". Bell favors European-style butters with a higher butterfat content; most average around 82 percent, but some tip the scales at 83 or even 84 percent. The secret to Plugrá European-Style Butter is a slow-churned process that creates less moisture content and a creamier texture when compared to average table butters. Although certainly delicious on its own, butter is also a prime canvas for creative flavors. Butter a large baking sheet or two small ones. "It's perfect on crusty fresh bread, rolls or pancakes. Easy to find in American grocery stores, Kerrygold Butter from Ireland has a higher fat content than its US-made counterparts. "The reason this butter is so good is that it's made in a traditional old-fashioned butter churn and rolled in wax paper.". Andrea Strong’s writing chronicles the world of food—from farm to fork, and all the stops along the way. He also said the flavor is delicious, and perfect for making cookies, croissants, laminated Danishes, and scones. It's the perfect mix of sweet and savory with a delicious blend of seeds and spices with a hint of honey. While most … Produced in Iceland, this butter is made from cows that are hormone and antibiotic free and fed on grass and hay, which contributes to its deep yellow color. It's also 100% grass fed, so it's better for you than grain-fed butter, due to the amount of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).". Most American butter on your grocer’s shelf contains around 80 percent milk fat, which means it’s about 16 to 18 percent water and 1 to 2 percent milk solids other than fat (sometimes referred to as curd). in Boulder, Colorado, is a devoted Bennett's fan, and he's especially partial to one variety. “A higher-fat butter is sometimes preferable because excessive moisture in a dough will hydrate the flour too much and cause gluten development, which leads to a tougher dough that’s less tender and flaky,” he says. The latest in food culture, cooking, and more. Plus, not only can you get this specialty butter in stores and online, but Jaffer says it lasts "forever. Note: Plugra butter has a fat content of 82.5%. Whether you're looking for butter to spread on toast or a dairy product ideal for cooking, you'll find both with Vermont Creamery. Nin favors the higher fat Plugra, an 82 percent butter made in America, for desserts when you are trying to achieve a richer flavor, like you would want with rich chocolate sauces. 10 incredible foods you can only get at Trader Joe's. "It does the job the best, period," Levin said. "I've used this butter to make biscuits, scones and savory tart shells, and they come out tasting amazing.". "Land O' Lakes butter is my go-to butter for baking," explained recipe developer Leah Klein of City Living Boston. We are experiencing an error, please try again. Like Kerrygold, Anchor is yellow because of the grass the cows are eating, compared to the white butter derived from the milk of corn-fed cows. ", Land O' Lakes butter is my go-to butter for baking," explained recipe developer Leah Klein of, ome other brands don't include the lines on the packaging of each stick to help with measurements, or tell the customer if the stick is salted or unsalted," Klein said. Cabot Creamery is a co-operative of 1,100 dairy farm families located throughout New York and New England. Cow's milk butter isn't the only game in town. Trader Joe's is famous for its frozen foods and snacks, but it also knows how to make functional and flavorful kitchen staples. 4. (And a secret weapon for restaurant cooks, pastry chefs, and professional bakers.) But not everything benefits from high butterfat, Bell explains. She lives in Queens with her husband, her two kids, and her big appetite. Because French butter is unbelievably tasty, particularly when you're using this butter from the Normandy region. "My all-time favorite butter is Kerrygold Irish Butter," Joo told INSIDER. This brand is a long-time favorite among chefs, and executive chef Craig Hopson of Farmhouse in Los Angeles, California, explained why. Lower moisture helps create cakes that rise higher, cookies that crisp more evenly, and flakier pastries. Salted butter is best for serving at the table with bread or to flavor a dish, like mashed potatoes. Always buy unsalted. Mobile, Alabama, chef and co-host of "Sip & Chew with Mike and Stu" Stuart Reb Donald loves this butter, telling us that its partnership with family-run farms is why it's so successful. "I love cooking with compound butters (flavored butters) because they help elevate food to the next level of flavor with minimal effort," Barth told INSIDER. Another American-made contender, Plugra ($2.69 a pound, Trader Joe's) claimed third place overall. Its butterfat content is 82%, which is slightly higher than … in New York City particularly favors Beurre D'Isigny, a butter from the Normandy region. Plugrá® Butter was first created in 1989 for professional chefs who wanted an extra creamy butter with higher butter fat to create flakier pastries and better baked goods. Other European style butters did not fare as well. When it comes to butter, the "old" ways tend to yield the best results. "Being able to have a loose stick of butter and not play a guessing game is helpful.". It also tastes incredible on a baguette and often has a deep yellow color and can be crumbly and dense. The products are all antibiotic and hormone free, but it is not certified organic. 3. It’s the difference between cookies that are good and cookies that keep you awake at night wondering when you might have a chance at eating more of them. Use unsalted Plugra butter when you need to control the salt content of recipes like a professional baker or chef. Bell’s brand of choice is Wüthrich (pronounced we-trek), a butter made in Wisconsin in the European style, which comes in at a whopping 83 percent butterfat. So what type of butter should you stock in your fridge? While he loves Kerrygold, he has one word of caution: If you are doing a buttercream, the color will come out a bit more yellow, so stick to a Plugra if you prefer a whiter color. If baking a seasonal fruit dessert where the essential luscious flavor of a berry or stone fruit is the star, then an 82 percent cultured or sweet cream butter plays a supporting role. The other thing American-style butter works best for? Account active … American butter is monitored and regulated by the USDA, which states that a butter must contain … For the Amish Country Roll Butter team, that means traditional churning equipment. This gives it a creamy texture and a more developed flavor profile, making it a favorite among chefs like Judy Joo of, My all-time favorite butter is Kerrygold Irish Butter," Joo told INSIDER. Stuart Reb Donald loves this butter, telling us that its partnership with family-run farms is why it's so successful. But not all butter is created equal. “With a cultured butter, you get that great tang and added flavor,” he says. Bell also explains that there’s a crucial distinction between American-style and European-style butters. Roll the dough out to a ¼-inch thickness and cut into 1¼-inch to 1½-inch circles using a smooth or fluted round cutter. "Being able to have a loose stick of butter and not play a guessing game is helpful.". Savvy shoppers can find butter made from a variety of milks, like the popular Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter from California. The result is a spreadable, soft, yellow-to-white solid (depending on the cow’s diet) that comes salted and unsalted, organic and commodity-style, all with higher and lower concentrations of butterfat, which is a key metric. To quote one of the world's most celebrated chefs (and dairy enthusiasts) Julia Child: "With enough butter, anything is good.". Executive pastry chef Valerie Nin of Grill 23 & Bar in Boston suggests using Cabot, an 80 percent unsalted butter. “Which makes their products very appealing.”. We have to agree. Preheat oven to 375°. Samijn suggests using it in a jambon beurre, a French sandwich made with Parisian ham, butter, and baguette. Get your chilled butter, and put it in an even layer, either shingling the slices so that … "It tastes like what butter should be, with a very subtle buttermilk-esque tang. "The butter has an active bacteria (like yogurt), so it has a beautiful tanginess," Tila told INSIDER. Subscriber Clarified Butter or Ghee. If you want an American-made unsalted butter for extra buttery bakes, look no further than Plugra! "The butter has an active bacteria (like yogurt), so it has a beautiful tanginess," Tila told INSIDER. “The fattier the butter, the better.” He has a variety of favorites, including Plugra, Kerrygold from Ireland, which has a bright yellow color from its grass-fed cows, Lurpak from Denmark, and Anchor from New Zealand made from the milk of free-range, grass-fed cows. Here are 10 decadent dairy products you can get at grocery stores and online. Schlow Restaurant Group's Director of Pastry Programs Alex Levin says the solution is Plugra European-Style Butter that spreads easily because of its fat content. Bell’s second rule? It's also 100% grass fed, so it's better for you than grain-fed butter, due to the amount of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).". since, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention”. “Both Denmark and New Zealand have stricter rules on hormones and antibiotics,” he says. He goes with a European butter with that higher butterfat content. The best version, according to Samijn, is the "beurre de baratte" that is slowly churned. You can use it for cooking as well, like mashed potatoes or sautéed anything!". That extra butterfat means less water. The best butter for piecrust is the subject of some debate, explains Joshua Livsey, the executive pastry chef at Harvest in Cambridge. Looking for a great grass-fed butter made right here in the States? Organic Valley: 600 mg. sodium, per 1 stick butter; Trader Joe's Store Brand: 720 mg. sodium, per 1 stickbutter; Land O'Lakes: 760 mg. sodium, per 1 stick butter… Butter. The odd sounding name is a play off the French term plus gras, for "more fat." Case in point: the Cultured Salted Butter, a favorite of Los Angeles chef and author of "101 Asian Dishes You Need To Cook Before You Die". For the consumer, this means a more wholesome, rich flavor and a lower percentage of water. Goat butter is a great match for a fresh loaf of bread. "They've been partnered with most of these farms for almost a century. Challenge Dairy Butter from California delivers on all fronts.