Butter is one such ingredient that can awaken zeal and zest in the flavors of any dish, be it pav bhaji, pancakes, pastries, pasta, etc. Whether it is a food stall, bakery shop, or breakfast table, butter is the most common and crucial thing you will find on the table. Did you know that apart from salted and unsalted butter, there is a wide variety you’ll find in markets all over the world?
Here is a list of 17 butter varieties you need to know
1. Salted Butter
The most common type of butter available in every household to swipe a stroke on the bread toast, a dreamy cube of butter to top on the bhaji, and a lot more. The salt added to this butter adds magic to it and increases its shelf life. If you love to cook, you must be well aware of the innumerable uses of salted butter. The best part is that it is budget-friendly and comes with the finest taste, which is enough to tickle your taste buds.
2. Unsalted Butter
This butter is used mostly in western countries such as Europe and USA. The butter has a mild-sweeter taste, perfect for baking cookies and cakes. The bakers choose unsalted butter to secure the taste of their cookies and pastries and to keep the originality of taste intact.
3. Cultured Butter
This butter is made through the process of fermentation using active bacteria. This gives a longer shelf life to the butter that can be used for a really long time. The bacteria is added to the pasteurized cream and left alone to ferment. The butter, thus formed, has a tangy taste and is used especially for dishes that require tangy flavors.
4. Clarified Butter
This type of butter originated in France; it is cooked until the milk solids separate, then removed and put into jars. It is often used interchangeably with ghee, but they are slightly different!
5. Ghee
This is a type of clarified butter that is a staple ingredient in the Indian diet. Whether you have to toast a parantha or yummy sweet treats, this wholesome ingredient is what is generally preferred in every household. People in India make this ghee from scratch by cooking pasteurized cream for a long time until the ghee starts to settle on the pan. It is infused with powerful nutrients such as healthy fats and essential vitamins and is a boon for lactose intolerants.
6. Grass-fed Butter
This organic butter is the first pick for all the health-conscious. It contains high protein, vitamins like K2, omega-3 fatty acids, etc. It is called ‘grass-fed’ because the butter is obtained from the cows that are on a complete grass-fed diet rather than a grain-fed diet. This butter helps to strengthen the core, increases bone density, and builds muscles.
7. Brown Butter
This butter variety is one tricky task to cook. The regular butter is cooked on a medium flame until it gets golden brown in color. The butter can burn too, so it requires all focus and attention while doing it. It is popularly used to top popcorn for its salty-buttery taste.
8. Irish Butter
The rich, creamy butter hails from Ireland, where dairy cows are fed on the grasslands, and the cream obtained is churned until it reaches 82% butterfat which makes it more preferred than regular butter. One of the top Irish butter brands that sell one of the purest and finest butter is Kerrygold. The yellow hue and rich texture it gives are what we crave.
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9. Whipped Butter
Whipped butter is just the airy, fluffy butter that is made using a hand mixer, and a bit of milk is added to the butter and whipped consciously. The whippy texture and mild saltiness of the milk and buttercream add a whole lot of flavor to your pancakes, bread toast, and even your waffles.
10. Amish Butter
The Amish butter stands out in the western market because of the extra-rich, creamy texture of the butter. It contains 84-85% butterfat which is perfect for cooking pastries, cookies, and cakes that require extra creaminess. It has unique lip-smacking flavors with a wonderfully unique shape.
11. European Style Butter
European butter is different from regular butter as it has a higher quantity of butterfat in it – around 82-85%. It is made through the process of fermentation which is why it has a tangy taste and melts more quickly than regular butter. European butter is generally unsalted and cultured, which makes it the most preferred choice for renowned chefs.
12. Sweet Cream
The sweet cream butter is made from pasteurized sweet cream obtained from cows. It has salted and unsalted variety and serves as a great option for frostings and baking pastries as it adds that rich flavor and succulent taste to any dish you cook it with.
13. Compound Butter
Beurre composé, or compound butter, is a distinctive form of butter that is mixed with ingredients such as herbs, honey, and garlic. It sounds tacky but is really easy to make by taking unsalted butter and whipping it gently to produce fluffiness and later adding the herbs, garlic shreds, and salt according to taste. Put it on parchment paper and give it a round shape and let it sit in the fridge until it settles perfectly.
14. Margarine
This variation is a form of butter that is processed with plant oils or vegetable oils. It contains trans fat and tastes amazing with bagels, bread toasts, etc.
15. Plant-Based Butter
Plant-based butter is a type of margarine that is absolutely vegan and is made from specific plant oils such as soyabean oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. These have a high level of unsaturated fats that are considered good for health.
16. Clotted Cream Butter
The British cream cheese, this clotted cream butter, is the staple ingredient in Britain to devour with scones. It has a thick, creamy texture with a sweet-savory taste and is a must-have in Britain. It contains less amount of fat as the cream is heated until the fat separates. It can be added to other dishes to amp up the flavors.
17. Goat And Sheep Butter
The goat and sheep butter is obtained from the pasteurized milk of the goat and sheep. The milk is churned to produce the butter, which is high in fat content and exceptionally tasty. It has an off-white color that is absolutely genuine and does not require many preservatives to increase its shelf life.
Conclusion
We are sure you must be amazed by the variety of butter you just witnessed. All these types are worth trying whenever you find an occasion!
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