Smear whipped vanilla butter on pancakes, scones or other baked breakfast goods for a sweet treat. This Whipped Vanilla Butter recipe is excerpted from Flavored Butters(The Harvard Common Press, 2013), a guide that features sweet and savory butter recipes as well as techniques for making delicious homemade flavored butters.
Whipped Vanilla Butter Recipe
Top your pancakes, waffles, or toast with this lightly sweetened butter, and you’ll feel like you’re having dessert for breakfast. Increase the amount of sugar if you like it sweeter. Unsweetened, it can be used for sautéing fruit and in lieu of plain butter in baked goods.
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon sugar
1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy.
2. With a paring knife, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out the seeds, reserving the pod for another use. Add the vanilla seeds and sugar to the butter and beat until blended, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. To use as a butter, pack into ramekins, pipe or simply serve by the dollop as described in 3 Delectable Compound Butter Recipes.
4. To use as a buttercream frosting, spread onto cooled baked goods, swirling decoratively. Soften and rewhip this butter before using or serving if it’s been chilled or frozen. Whipped Vanilla Butter serves 8.
Variations
• Citrus-Vanilla Bean Butter: Blend in 2 teaspoons grated orange zest and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest.
• Lavender-Vanilla Bean Butter: Grind 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender flowers using a mortar and pestle and blend into the butter. Make sure you’re using culinary lavender, which has not been sprayed with pesticides.
More Compound Butter Recipes
• Gorgonzola-Chive Butter recipe
• Radish Butter recipe
For more from Flavored Butters, check out the article 3 Delectable Compound Butter Recipes.
“Whipped Vanilla Butter Recipe” has been reprinted with permission from Flavored Butters: How to Make Them, Shape Them and Use Them as Spreads, Toppings and Saucesby Lucy Vaserfirer and published by The Harvard Common Press, 2013.
