milk.org | Butter

Types of Butter

Salted and Unsalted Butter
- Salted & Unsalted Butter
- Light Butter
- Cultured Butter
- Ghee

Salted and Unsalted Butter

Salted and unsalted butter are made the same way; however, one has salt added to it after the churning process. While both butters are versatile and used in many ways, unsalted butter is better for baking.

Light Butter

Light butter has the same great taste as regular salted or unsalted butter, but with about 25% less fat content.

Cultured Butter

With cultured butter, bacteria cultures are added to the cream and the mixture is then fermented before being churned into butter. It’s richer and has a fuller, nuttier flavour, so it’s best used for baking goodies, such as scones, biscuits or cookies.

Ghee

Ghee is a type of clarified butter. It is made by melting regular butter and allowing milk fat to separate from the liquid fat. The solid milk fat is removed leaving less lactose in the leftover liquid fat. It’s best used as a cooking oil, such as in sautées, because it has a higher burning point than standard butter.

How is butter made?

Butter can be made in different ways, but the classic method of churning has been around for decades!

From milk to cream

Butter is made from cream. First, milk is pasteurized and then the cream is separated.

Churning time

The cream is then churned (mixed vigorously) in a churning cylinder until the solid fats separate from the liquid (which ends up being buttermilk!).

Blended to perfection

The leftover solids are drained and blended (sometimes with salt, sometimes without) and voila, you have butter!

When to use different types of butter

Browned butter

What is it?
Browning butter means to cook unsalted butter slowly on low heat, which caramelizes the milk solids and leaves a sweet, nutty flavour.

When should I use it?
You can use browned butter anywhere you’d use regular butter - consider it next time you want to elevate a pie crust or your go-to cookie recipe.

Baking and cooking with butter

Baking
Most baked good recipes call for room-temperature or softened butter that’s incorporated with sugar. If the butter is melted, the sugar crystals won’t be able to do their job properly.

Cooking
If you’re melting butter in a pan, be wary not to burn it since butter reaches a burning point quicker than other cooking oils.

Fresh bread covered in flavoured butter with herbs

Make your own flavoured butter

How to make it
Take about 100g of softened, unsalted butter and create your own savoury, flavoured butters to amp up your morning toast or add as a condiment to your favourite meal.

Flavour combinations
Try a simple garlic and parsley combo or a tasty trio like basil, tomato and parmesan. Beat in the ingredients and roll using parchment paper, and you’ve got your own flavoured butter.