Hello Everyone,
@mig posted a baking recipe with brown butter as did @maccrogenoff.
I’ve made a few things using browned butter and thought that it might be a nice idea to open up this discussion to a larger crowd.
What do you use brown butter for?
Here are two previous posts that I’m linking:
Brown some butter, throw in some sage leaves until they get crisp and finally some sliced garlic for the last 30 seconds or so. Throw in some gnocchi and toss to coat, then plate and grate on some Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Hi, olunia:
I came late to using browned butter, but for the last 6 months or so, I’ve kept a 1/2 pint jar of BB at hand at all times. I’ve found that the nuttiness and deep diacetyl flavor improves nearly everything.
In fact, the only thing that comes to mind that I prefer butter with the air and milk solids is for spreading on breads, both cold and grilled.
It can be difficult to make BB to the ideal state without getting some burnt bitterness. IME, it comes down to stopping the cooking ASAP, before brown goes black. Very even heat, a very responsive pan and bright linings are our friends. About the only way to dependably make it in unresponsive pans or on electric hobs is to immediately decant it. Dark enamel linings usually disappoint.
I’ve also learned to (a) filter it while it’s hot; and (b) stir it a few times as it’s starting to solidify. That evens out the color and flavor.
Aloha,
Kaleo
In France, browned butter is called “beurre noisette”, directly translated as hazelnut butter. It can be used in many dishes, but it works well with (normal) butter cooked crispy skin fish fillets (example cod) with some roasted hazel nut, a few drops of balsamic vinegar, black pepper, salt and a spoonful of browned butter.
I don’t think I have a single recipe that calls for browned butter, and don’t recall ever using it. And other than @Coogles, no one has offered a recipe.
For me, if i want to taste up butter, I’ll melt it in EVOO with a variety of herbs and/or aromatics, or just do an herb butter.
So what are the dishes where browned butter makes a difference?
Correction: I do have a recipe for cast iron skillet corn bread that calls for browned butter, but frankly my corn bread muffins are better with just melted and cooled butter.
My latest browned-butter fave is these blondies, which I blabbed about at length over on CH last month.
ETA my notes from CH:
"I was sure these were a failure the day I baked them. They were too wet in the middle. and the edges of the pan were too dry.
Turns out I just needed to wait about 24 hours. They are very rich and very, very dangerous.
This is a Martha Stewart recipe that calls for a LOT of browned butter and a cup of toffee bits (plus nuts, which I left out, because Mom.) I had never bought toffee bits before and was stunned that the little bag of Heath bits was nearly five dollars… next time I’ll just buy a bar or two and smash them, jeez.
Anyway, they are baked in a 9x13 pan. I’ll probably make a homemade shield for the edges next time so I can bake the center a tiny bit firmer without drying out the sides. I cut them out using a large heart cookie cutter."
For savory uses, my favorite is as a sauce for mild fish. As @naf noted upthread, this is a very typical French application.
Nice lemon-parsley-brown-butter sauce recipe here. This particular recipe is for rainbow trout, but lots of mild white fish shine with a brown butter sauce.
Nice photos and beautiful baked goods!
@mig
If you have any CH reports would you be willing to post them here?
Your notes on your above baked goods may prove to be useful to those on this platform and other lurkers.
TIA
(sure. i found the blondie note easily because it was written just last month, and edited my post upthread to add it. but finding my post about the peach bundt would be a slog. i do remember that i liked the browned-butter icing way more than the cake, which is good but not great. when peaches are in season, i think cobblers, crumbles and pie are a better vessel for their deliciousness than cake.)
Thanks @mig,
When you mentioned that you shared on Chowhound upthread, I thought that it would be beneficial to repost them here.
So that others could recreate your baked goods.
Right, got it! I did repost the blondie notes in the original post 
I’ve also made that cake. It’s so good.
@maccrogenoff,
Please post it here if it’s a new recipe.
Or please link the thread if it’s the one that I saw posted on the baking thread.
It really does look tasty.
ETA: the link was posted above by @naf Thank you!
Corn bread.
Yossy Arefi’s book, Snacking Cakes, has several recipes that call for browned butter. The ones I’ve made:
Almondy Plum Cake
This is my husband’s favorite of the cakes I’ve made from Snacking Cakes.
Browned Butter, Pecan and White Chocolate Cake
This is a delicious cake.
The blogger calls for lightly salted butter and 1/4 teaspoon. The cookbook calls for unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon Diamond brand Kosher salt.
Thank you for providing your notes they are very handy to have.
chocolate chip cookies, graham cracker crusts, the occasional cake, and certain chocolate applications
Cookies. Chocolate chip cookies and kourabiedes
Raymond Blanc’s clafoutis. It really adds to the flavour of the dish.
