STRAWBERRY COMPOUND BUTTER
If you’re tired of the usual butter to spread on bread, then you must try the STRAWBERRY COMPOUND BUTTER!
It’s a little sweet, a little salty, perfect to spread on bread in the morning, pairs well with muffins, focaccia, or to decorate cakes, a valid alternative to the usual spreadable creams.
An easy recipe to prepare at home, requiring practically only 2 ingredients, and it can be made with any type of fruit that is cooked at low temperature until its natural water evaporates to obtain a very dense puree.
The result is then passed through a sieve to give further silky consistency. Once the fruit is cold, it is mixed with the butter, thickens again, and becomes a delicious spreadable butter cream.
This recipe is also a great way to use up overripe, bruised, or “ugly” fruit or to help you use up an excess of fresh fruit in the pantry.
STRAWBERRY COMPOUND BUTTER is a soft pink cloud, very soft on the palate, and very fragrant. In addition to being great consumed at breakfast on a slice of bread, it is extremely versatile and lends itself to endless culinary variations. It is perfect for garnishing cakes, cookies, pancakes, but also to enrich yogurt, ice cream, and fruit salads.
The traditional recipe calls for the use of soft butter, fresh strawberries, and sugar, but it can be customized with the addition of vanilla or lemon extract: an excellent alternative to classic spreadable creams.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 134.40 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.52 (g) of which sugars 5.00 (g)
- Proteins 0.25 (g)
- Fat 12.57 (g) of which saturated 8.13 (g)of which unsaturated 4.45 (g)
- Fibers 0.38 (g)
- Sodium 1.46 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 1 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4.4 oz strawberries (blueberries)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3.5 oz butter
Tools
- Bowl
- Immersion Blender
- Saucepan
- Sieve
Steps
Wash the strawberries, cut into pieces and cook them in a small saucepan with a splash of water and 1 teaspoon of sugar for 10 minutes until they break down. Blend them with the immersion blender and strain for a smoother concentrate.
Soften the butter at room temperature, then mix it with the strawberry puree using a spatula or an electric whisk. Let it set in the fridge for about 20 minutes. You can place it in a bowl or put it in a piping bag with different nozzles to make different shapes and let them harden in the refrigerator.
NOTES
BUTTER Being one of the only two ingredients in this recipe, always choose high-quality butter. It should be soft like “ointment” for this preparation, so I recommend keeping it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before preparation.
STRAWBERRIES You can use blueberries or other berries instead of fresh strawberries. Always strain the fruit puree to remove seeds. You can also use frozen fruit or fruit jam for this recipe. In the latter case, dissolve 1 tablespoon in a saucepan, then incorporate it into the butter without adding sugar because the jam is already very sweet.
SUGAR You can substitute sugar with a teaspoon of honey.
STORAGE
The STRAWBERRY BUTTER keeps in the refrigerator for a month, sealed in an airtight container. If you wish, you can also freeze it and store it in the freezer for a couple of months.
