Underdog Loire Valley Wines
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The Perfect Party Cocktail
Mark McClusky's DIY Cheese
How to Soften Butter
Baking recipes often call for softened butter, but if you put it in the microwave you risk butter soup. Leaving it out at room temp is fine if you’ve got lots of time. But when your butter is cold and hard and you want it to be warm and soft, just pound it.
i rather nuke butter for 10 seconds in the micro than make a huge mess. oh and it only takes 10 seconds too.
You break down the molecular structure of the butter and evaporate some of the water, even after ten seconds. This will generally change the texture of the dough if baking.
I don't think this method makes much sense. It's just as easy to put it in the microwave or any warm place for short increments of time, then mash it with a spoon once it is just beginning to get soft. I usually put butter in microwave for 10 seconds, then pause, then another 10, and then it's soft enough to finish softening with a spoon. Same method could be used using a ceramic bowl in the oven...+READ
I don't think this method makes much sense. It's just as easy to put it in the microwave or any warm place for short increments of time, then mash it with a spoon once it is just beginning to get soft. I usually put butter in microwave for 10 seconds, then pause, then another 10, and then it's soft enough to finish softening with a spoon. Same method could be used using a ceramic bowl in the oven (which you might have on anyway if you are baking!) No need to dirty a big cutting board *and* a rolling pin.-COLLAPSE
Who here remembers the classic Julia Child episode where her attempt to demonstrate this wound up with it on the ceiling?! Wonderful....
You can put it inside a plastic bag before pounding, so you don't have a big mess to clean up afterwards!