The finest butter for baking justifies the extra expense.
When you're out buying baking supplies, you may quickly choose your butter without much thought. Typically, you'll likely just decide between salted and unsalted , however, almost everything else should have the same flavor once it’s combined and baked together. cookies , pies , or biscuits — right? Wrong.
Not only do different butter brands differ in flavor and quality when spread on a slice of bread (as demonstrated by our test). butter taste test ) but they will significantly influence anything you're baking. "For numerous pastries, the butter serves not only as fat but also adds flavor, hence high quality is essential," according to 2020 F&W Best New Chef. Camille Cogswell , who frequently employs butter when preparing pies and cakes for her forthcoming project at the Walnut Family Bakery. She emphasizes, "It needs to possess a pure and uniform taste to work well across various baked items."
Related: Avoid Improper Butter Storage — These 6 Products Will Help Maintain Its Freshness
We contacted experienced bakers to find out which butter works best for baking. Although opinions varied, one particular brand stood out as the top choice.
The top choice for baking: Isigny Saint-Mère Unsalted Butter
Produced in Normandy, a coastal area covered with grasslands in France, Isigny Saint-Mère enjoys global recognition for crafting top-notch butter that uniquely embodies its origin. This butter stands out due to its richness, creaminess, and subtle hints of hazelnut.
When I began baking roughly six years back, I decided to exclusively use Isigny butter for all our creations and have maintained this approach ever since," explains Shawn Bergin, who owns Bakery Four in Denver. "Additionally, it boasts exceptional taste because it’s crafted from cultured and fermented grass-fed cream.
Pastry chefs adore this butter specifically for making laminated doughs because of its elevated butterfat content—the inherent dairy fat that lends butter its enhanced flavor and creamier texture. This higher butterfat not only facilitates easier spreading during the lamination process but also contributes to producing pastries that are both flakier and more delicate.
“Isigny boasts a higher melting point and superior pliability compared to other butter brands, making it ideal for laminating and proofing,” notes Bergin.
Related: Ina Garten Has the Same Breakfast Every Day:Toast Slathered with This Luxurious French Butter
F&W Best New Chef Eunji Lee Uses Isigny butter for all her pastries at her New York City dessert boutique, Lysée. Similarly, Gautier Coiffard, who co-owns L'Appartement 4F, relies on it too. "The high-fat content (82%) gives this butter great pliability and ease of handling," he explains. It’s mainly used by us during the laminating stage in our production. croissants , yet it is equally delightful unaltered when smeared on a piece of baguette .”
Other baker-recommended butters
Even though Isigny was suggested to us by most bakers and pastry chefs, it isn’t the sole option ideal for baking. One characteristic common among all these choices is their butterfat content at 82%. If you’re unsure, seek out a butter with this specific figure.
Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
This Irish butter is the preferred choice for 2023 F&W Best New Chef. Caroline Schiff “It boasts a fantastic grassy sweetness along with excellent fattiness,” she explains. “The consistency is top-notch.” buttercream , in my opinion.”
Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter
Of all the domestically produced butters, Vermont Creamery stands out as Schiff’s preferred choice. Unlike most American butters, which usually contain 80% or 81% butterfat (the minimum required for classification as butter), this one is crafted differently. European style This indicates that it contains at least 82% butterfat similar to brands like Isigny and Kerrygold. Additionally, this butter undergoes pasteurization followed by the addition of live cultures, which lends it a slightly tart flavor profile.
Related: This Is Martha Stewart’s Go-To Butter for Baking
Plugrà Unsalted Butter
Cogswell consistently buys the butter with the highest fat content, which she claims is frequently Plugrà. Produced in the U.S. as an imitation of European-style butter, Plugrà offers a creamy texture and rich taste.
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