What Makes Butter Great: A Delicious Dive Into the Cream of the Crop
- omgfoodmalta
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 20
What makes butter great? Discover its benefits, how to use it, and tips for choosing the best butter for cooking and baking.
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Why Butter Deserves a Standing Ovation (and a Spot in Your Fridge)
Let’s face it. Butter is the diva of the kitchen—dramatic, rich, sometimes salty, and unforgettable in the right role. Whether it’s ascending over toast or giving your pastry that heavenly flake, it’s the ingredient we never quite outgrow.
But what makes butter great beyond the glitz and glamour of golden cubes? Pull up a chair because we’re spreading the truth, thick and creamy.
What is Butter Made Of?
At its core, butter is what happens when cream gets a little too excited. Churn the cream long enough to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. What’s left is butter: about 80% fat, 18% water, and 2% milk solids.
For the curious: homemade butter is ridiculously easy to make. You only need heavy cream, a stand mixer (or strong forearms), and patience. Once it separates, rinse, salt (if you wish), and boom — your own homemade butter.
How is Butter Made?
Industrial butter-making isn’t much different. The cream is pasteurised, chilled, aged, churned, washed, and sometimes coloured (yes, that sunny yellow is often enhanced). Some brands even add cultures for a deeper, more complex flavour.
If you’re wondering where the best butter comes from, look to regions with rich dairy heritages. Think Normandy in France, County Kerry in Ireland, and, more locally, any butter that makes your spoon stand to attention in a Maltese kitchen.
Butter vs. Margarine: What’s the Real Difference?
Aside from one being the buttery equivalent of a Hollywood A-lister and the other a stand-in, the difference is the fat source. Butter comes from milk fat; margarine is made from vegetable oils. The flavour? Well, butter tastes like a warm hug. Margarine, at best, tastes like a handshake.
Is Butter Healthy? Or Is That Just Wishful Thinking?
Ah, the age-old question: how healthy is butter?
Thanks to its saturated fat content, butter has had a rough ride in dietary debates. But recent studies show it’s not the villain it was once made out to be. Rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E, and containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), it may even have anti-inflammatory benefits.
As always, moderation is key. A pat on toast? Delightful. A stick a day? Perhaps not.
How to Use Butter (Without Setting Off the Fire Alarm)
You can use butter in more ways than your arteries might appreciate:
For sauces: A classic béchamel starts with butter. Melt it, whisk in flour for a roux, then slowly add warm milk until velvety. Add salt, white pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. Fancy a twist? Add softened shallots at the start or enrich it at the end with cream.
For baking: Think cakes, croissants, shortbread. Butter gives body, flavour, and that irresistible crumb.
For sautéing: Butter alone burns, so mix it with oil to up the smoke point while keeping that buttery essence.
For spreading joy: Literally. On bread, muffins, crumpets—you name it.
The Best Butter for Cooking, Baking, and Saucing
Best butter for pastry: You want high-fat, low-moisture. European-style butters (like cultured or French butters) with 82%+ fat work wonders.
Best butter for sauce: Unsalted gives you control. If you’re adventurous, try cultured butter for a bit of tang.
Ghee vs Butter: Are They the Same?
Short answer: no. Ghee is clarified butter, simmered until the water evaporates and milk solids brown. It’s got a nuttier flavour, longer shelf life, and a high smoke point. Ideal for cooking at higher temps without burning your dreams (or your dinner).
What Are the Benefits of Butter?
Let’s break it down:
Rich flavour
Natural source of fat-soluble vitamins
Great for satiety (you feel full for longer)
Butter benefits gut health (especially cultured butter, thanks to probiotics)
It makes everything taste better (scientifically proven... sort of)
How Much Fat is in Butter?
Roughly 80-82%. The rest is water and milk solids. This fat content gives butter its structure, richness, and unbeatable texture. For those on keto diets, it’s practically gold.
Butter Book You Didn’t Know You Needed
We highly recommend picking up a butter book if you’re hungry for more (and should be). Titles like Butter: A Rich History by Elaine Khosrova dive deep into dairy’s silken superstar. It’s not just a spread; it’s a story.
Recently, I was struck by Butter by Asako Yuzuki, a Japanese novel inspired by the real-life case of convicted murderer Kanae Kijima. It explores the strange connection between indulgence, femininity, and food obsession. Butter becomes more than a food—a metaphor for desire, societal pressure, and liberation.
It’s not your typical cookbook recipe (although there are a few), far from it, but reading it ignited my fascination with butter and inspired this article.
Recipe Spotlight: Stork Butter Béchamel Mac & Cheese
Why not turn that classic white sauce into the creamiest mac & cheese of your dreams?
Ingredients:
75g Stork butter
75g plain flour
1 litre milk (infused with half an onion and a bay leaf)
Salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg
100ml cream or crème fraîche (optional)
200g mature cheddar, grated
300g cooked macaroni
Method:
Infuse the milk by heating it with onion and bay leaf. Let sit.
In another pan, melt butter, add flour, and stir until pale and sandy.
Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Simmer until thickened.
Add cream and cheese, then mix in cooked macaroni.
Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Serve with smug satisfaction.
So, what makes butter great?
So, what makes butter great? It’s simple. Butter is versatile, luxurious, and packed with history, flavour, and charm. It’s the ingredient that anchors cultures elevates sauces, and saves sad sandwiches.
It’s time to give butter the standing ovation it deserves.
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