Peach Compound Butter
Compound butter (also known as finishing butter) is simply softened butter that has additional ingredients such as herbs, spices, and garlic. When you think of compound butter, your mind probably immediately goes to a savory dish. Professional and home chefs use this creamy concoction as a flavor enhancer for meat, fish, and vegetables. For example, a black truffle compound butter melting on top of a freshly seared steak will add an additional richness and depth of flavor to the dish. However, compound butter can be used with sweet dishes as well. It is the perfect condiment to add a punch of flavor and a fresh perspective to many baked goods.
With a few simple techniques, whipping up your own compound butter is a relatively easy task. The flavor profile of your butter mixture is only limited by your imagination. This recipe, with its fresh peaches, brown sugar and vanilla, captures the essence of summer and is the perfect pop of flavor to smear on a biscuit, bagel, scone or muffin (such as Crumble Crate’s Peaches and Cream Muffins)!
Since this recipe is deceptively easy and contains just a few ingredients, it is important to use the very best, highest quality ingredients you can find and afford. This recipe is about letting the flavors of the ingredients shine! The main attraction is, of course, the butter. Be sure to use room temperature, unsalted butter. Add as much or as little salt as you like - an ⅛ teaspoon works great for my taste buds. My salt of choice is sea salt, but you can easily substitute kosher salt or experiment with a gourmet flavored sea salt (such as lemon, vanilla, or ginger flavored salt). The peaches can be fresh or frozen, and you can either leave the peach skin on or off. If using frozen peaches, let them thaw and drain any excess liquid before adding them to the butter. Another element of flavor can be added based on the type of vanilla you use. An artisanal vanilla extracted in Kentucky bourbon or spiced rum would create a subtle depth of flavor to the butter. The bottom line is that the type and quality of ingredients you use in such a simple dish ultimately determines the flavor of your end product.
When making compound butter, I tend to mix it by hand. However, you can use a food processor to whip the butter and ingredients together. If using this technique, I would suggest folding in the diced peaches by hand so they are not completely pulverized. It’s nice to see the bright chunks of peaches nestled in the creamy butter! Also, be sure to finely dice your peaches. If the cubes of peach are too large, the butter will remain broken and not become a cohesive unit.
This butter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When freezing, I like to roll the butter into a log and wrap it tightly in a piece of parchment paper (twisting the ends). This way, if I want a little compound butter to smear on a piece of toast or freshly baked bread, I can just cut a disk from the frozen log, and leave the rest in the freezer for future enjoyment. Unless placing the butter on a hot, freshly baked good, I usually bring it to room temperature before serving (for easy smearing).
Has the concept of elevating your baked goods with a gourmet compound butter intrigued you? If so, there are endless flavor combinations to experiment with. How about an orange honey compound butter? Or a maple pecan compound butter? Or even a strawberry chocolate compound butter? As you can see, elevating your condiments will add panache, creativity, and flavor to your baked masterpieces!
With a few simple techniques, whipping up your own compound butter is a relatively easy task. The flavor profile of your butter mixture is only limited by your imagination. This recipe, with its fresh peaches, brown sugar and vanilla, captures the essence of summer and is the perfect pop of flavor to smear on a biscuit, bagel, scone or muffin (such as Crumble Crate’s Peaches and Cream Muffins)!
Since this recipe is deceptively easy and contains just a few ingredients, it is important to use the very best, highest quality ingredients you can find and afford. This recipe is about letting the flavors of the ingredients shine! The main attraction is, of course, the butter. Be sure to use room temperature, unsalted butter. Add as much or as little salt as you like - an ⅛ teaspoon works great for my taste buds. My salt of choice is sea salt, but you can easily substitute kosher salt or experiment with a gourmet flavored sea salt (such as lemon, vanilla, or ginger flavored salt). The peaches can be fresh or frozen, and you can either leave the peach skin on or off. If using frozen peaches, let them thaw and drain any excess liquid before adding them to the butter. Another element of flavor can be added based on the type of vanilla you use. An artisanal vanilla extracted in Kentucky bourbon or spiced rum would create a subtle depth of flavor to the butter. The bottom line is that the type and quality of ingredients you use in such a simple dish ultimately determines the flavor of your end product.
When making compound butter, I tend to mix it by hand. However, you can use a food processor to whip the butter and ingredients together. If using this technique, I would suggest folding in the diced peaches by hand so they are not completely pulverized. It’s nice to see the bright chunks of peaches nestled in the creamy butter! Also, be sure to finely dice your peaches. If the cubes of peach are too large, the butter will remain broken and not become a cohesive unit.
This butter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When freezing, I like to roll the butter into a log and wrap it tightly in a piece of parchment paper (twisting the ends). This way, if I want a little compound butter to smear on a piece of toast or freshly baked bread, I can just cut a disk from the frozen log, and leave the rest in the freezer for future enjoyment. Unless placing the butter on a hot, freshly baked good, I usually bring it to room temperature before serving (for easy smearing).
Has the concept of elevating your baked goods with a gourmet compound butter intrigued you? If so, there are endless flavor combinations to experiment with. How about an orange honey compound butter? Or a maple pecan compound butter? Or even a strawberry chocolate compound butter? As you can see, elevating your condiments will add panache, creativity, and flavor to your baked masterpieces!
Servings: 1/2 cup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ finely diced fresh peaches
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsps light brown sugar
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
Instructions:
- Place butter, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, orange zest, and sea salt in a medium bowl. Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine ingredients.
- Fold in diced peaches. Make sure the peaches are evenly distributed throughout the butter.
- Place mixture in a butter dish and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Enjoy!
Paula
Crumble Crate is the culmination of years of experimenting with cooking and baking in my home kitchen. Since I was a small child, I found a simple pleasure in creating fresh delicious treats and sharing them with my family and friends. As life became more complicated, the basic task of baking in my kitchen became an even more critical and comforting sanctuary.I want to share this joy of baking with you so that you too can experience the bliss you feel when you create and share fresh baked goodies with your loved ones. My goal is for us to explore baking together and take the stress out of the process so that you can decompress and learn to find refuge in your kitchen. I can’t wait to begin this baking journey with each of you!
