Brown butter is the result of the Maillard reaction. This is a chemical reaction that occurs when the amino acids and sugars in food react when exposed to high temperatures. It gives foods like butter, seared meat or toasted marshmallows their complex and delicious flavours.
In the case of butter the Maillard reaction adds nutty notes similar to hazelnuts. Which is no surprise if you have already worked out the translation of beurre noisette in French is "hazelnut butter”.
Making brown butter is a simple process that involves heating butter in a pan. What happens is the water evaporates and the milk solids (containing sugars, amino acids and proteins) toast and undergo the Maillard reaction. If you like you can stir additional milk powder into your butter at the beginning of this process so there is more to be toasted.
Recipe
- Cut your butter into small equal sizes so that it melts evenly.
- Put into you pan over a medium heat and stir frequently.
- First the butter will melt and turn opaque and pale.
- Then it will start to cook off the water content and turn lighter and more golden in colour. It may splutter a little at this stage as the water evaporates.
- Once the water has been evaporated you can turn down the heat and it will start to foam and turn even more golden.
- Continue as the colour deepens and small specks appear, these are the toasted milk solids.
- Closely monitor the colour and smell as it develops at this stage. Once you have reached you ideal toastiness remove your pan from the heat. It will continue to heat and darken further for a while so you can err on the side of caution here.
- Leave to cool and use as desired or store for future use.
- As your butter cools the specks will settle to the bottom but will stir back in once remelted.
TOP TIP
Use a light coloured pan if you can so you can easily monitor the change in colour of your butter.
You will use some of the butter in this process so if you are making brown butter for a recipe it's best to make extra to make sure you have enough.
When to use brown butter
You can use brown butter in any recipe that calls for melted butter - sweet or savoury. Although if you are planning to use your butter in baking it will have a lower moisture content so you may not be able to directly swap with the same results. It’s best to do a little research on your recipe or a test run before getting stuck in. Try using your brown butter:
• In simple cookie recipes like chocolate chip.
• Coat your pasta or vegetables for a simple sauce.
• As a base for a sauce on steak night.