Bake it Magnifique with Butter of Europe
Butter and baking go together like salt and pepper. Just picture some of your favorite, most delicious baked items—soft, gooey cookies, spongy cakes and muffins, flaky pastries and pies. They would be unimaginable, not to mention near impossible, to prepare and enjoy without butter. So, if you’re planning to bake some of your favorites, bake them magnifique with Butter of Europe.
Butter adds delicious characteristics to baked items that are crucial and simply can’t be replicated. Its unique blend of flavor and fat content makes for exceptional taste and texture. Further, butter isn’t just a flavor agent, it can also help in the baking process. Butter actually contains some water and because of this, when cold solid butter hits a hot oven, the water starts to evaporate and the steam gets trapped in the dough, causing it to rise. A high-quality ingredient like French beurre is sure to bring out the best in your baking.
French butter is churned for a longer time, resulting in at least 82 percent butterfat in the final product, compared to 80 percent in America. This higher butterfat content results in a higher melting point, making it perfect for baking. French butter has an exceptionally creamy texture and is cultured for a fuller flavor. This all makes butter a must-have when setting out ingredients for baking. To get you started, here are two recipes—one savory, one sweet—to showcase the wonderful flavor beurre lends to baked items. Give Butter of Europe a try and you’ll see, as well as taste, the difference.
| BUTTERY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS | BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES | |
| 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour | 1 cup Butter of Europe, softened | |
| 2 tsp baking powder | 1 cup packed brown sugar | |
| 1/2 tsp baking soda | 3/4 cup sugar | |
| 1 tsp salt | 2 large eggs, room temperature | |
| 1 cup buttermilk, chilled | 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract | |
| 12 tbsp unsalted Butter of Europe | 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour | |
| 10 tbsp cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled | 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour | |
| 2 tbsp melted | 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour | |
| Flaky salt, for sprinkling | 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour | |
| 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour | ||
| Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. In a large shallow bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the chilled butter and use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the butter into the flour until it is the size of peas. Stir in the buttermilk just until the dough is moistened. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. | 1-1/4 tsp baking soda | |
| 1 tsp salt | ||
| 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips | ||
| 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted | ||
| Using a floured 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out biscuit rounds as closely together as possible. Gather the scraps and knead them together 2 or 3 times, then flatten the dough and stamp out more biscuit rounds. Pat the remaining scraps together and gently press them into a biscuit. | In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until blended. Next, beat in eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Shape 1/4 cupfuls of dough into balls. | |
| Transfer the biscuits to a large baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Lightly sprinkle the biscuits with a few grains of flaky salt and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. | Flatten each to 3/4-in. thickness (2-1/2-in. diameter), smoothing edges as necessary. Place in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed paper or parchment; cover and refrigerate overnight. | |
| Bake the biscuits for 20 minutes or until golden. Let the biscuits cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving. | ||
| To bake, place dough portions 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. | ||
| Preheat oven to 400°. Bake until edges are golden brown (centers will be light), 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool for a few minutes. | ||
When you use Butter of Europe, you don’t just bake it, you Bake it Magnifique!