Butter is fatty substance obtained from churned cream, containing 80% fat, 20% water and whey (milk solids lift from separating process). Butter can be made from any kind of milk. In India, butter is made from buffalo milk.
- Butter hardens at low temperature and melts when heated.
- The smoking temperature of butter is 127ºC.
- Color varies from creamy white to golden yellow. It is the milk protein in the whey that makes butter spoil quickly.
- Most of the butter is made from cow’s milk but other are some butter made from the milk of buffalo, yak, goat and sheep is also available.
Butter is a water-in-oil emulsion resulting from an inversion of the cream; in a water-in-oil emulsion, the milk proteins are the emulsifiers. Butter remains a solid when refrigerated, but softens to a spreadable consistency at room temperature, and melts to a thin liquid consistency at 32–35 °C (90–95 °F).
Nutrition Facts
The table below contains detailed information on the different nutrients in butter.
Nutrition Facts: Butter, Salted — 100 grams
Amount | |
Calories | 717 |
Water | 16 % |
Protein | 0.9 g |
Carbs | 0.1 g |
Sugar | 0.1 g |
Fiber | 0 g |
Fat | 81.1 g |
Saturated | 51.37 g |
Monounsaturated | 21.02 g |
Polyunsaturated | 3.04 g |
Omega-3 | 0.32 g |
Omega-6 | 2.17 g |
Trans fat | 3.28 g |
There are two types of butter-
- Sweet cream butter
- Lactic butter.
Sweet cream butter: it is also known as fresh cream butter and is made from unripened cream. It can be salted or unsalted. It is soft, creamy texture and a creamy buttery taste.
Lactic butter: this type of butter specially made in Denmark, Holland and france. The cream is mostly pasteurized, inoculated with a culture that ripens the butter, then pasteurized once more to arrest the ripening process.
Uses of Butter
- As a spread for bread, toast and scones
- As a basic ingredient in pastry-making and cake-making.
- Used as an accompaniment (compound butter).
- To enhance the taste and flavour of soups and sauces.
- As a cooking medium (The smoke point of butterfat is only 127-130°C; so a vegetable oil should be used when high cooking temperatures are required).
- For butter sculptures.
Notes: Few other types of butter commonly used.
Unsalted butter /sweet butter– it has a mild aroma and slightly sweet flavour, used for making sweet pastries and cakes.
Salted butter – butter was originally salted to preserve it for the winter months when fresh butter was not made. Today salted is added to butter as ingredients. It is not ideally used in the preparation of pastries.
Compound butter – these are made by adding a particular natural flavour or colour to butter, depending on the type of food with which it is served. It is generally used as an accompaniment e.g. Lobster butter, parsley butter etc.
Ghee – it is obtained by clarifying butter. Butter is heated to evaporate water. Pure ghee has a higher keeping quality and is a good cooking medium and shortening agent used in Indian cuisine.