This classic French ingredient (also known as buerre noisette) is actually just butter cooked in a skillet until the milk solids brown, giving the butter a toasted, nutty flavor.
To make brown butter, melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until dark amber, stirring often, about 6 minutes, and be careful not to let it burn. The transformation from butter to brown butter occurs at about 250ºF, when the water boils off, leaving the milk solids behind to brown. When the butter turns dark amber and has a nutty aroma, pull the pan off the stove.
How to use:
Try your brown butter in the following simple recipes.
- Drizzle it over popcorn
- Finely strain brown butter. Toast breadcrumbs in the brown butter; toss with steamed broccoli.
- Finely strain brown butter. Scrape seeds from a vanilla bean into the brown butter. Add pear slices; cook until pears are just softened. Spoon pear mixture over vanilla ice cream.