Homemade flavored butters add an artisanal touch to the simplest of meals. The Vitamix makes it quick and easy to make your own delicious creations to complement breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And since you can make flavored butters ahead of time and freeze them, flavored butters are a simple entertaining secret, while helping your guests feel that you’ve gone the extra mile.
How to use homemade flavored butters
Flavored butters can be used in a variety of dishes. Spread them on warm breakfast breads, toss them with hot pasta or vegetables, and drizzle them on grilled meats or seafood. A serving platter with several different butters alongside a loaf of French bread makes an inviting table setting.
Using your Vitamix blender to make butter
To make butter in your Vitamix machine, simply blend heavy whipping cream at a high variable speed until the mixture becomes thick. Continue blending in five-second intervals at a lower speed, scraping contents off the sides of the container between blends. Repeat this process until you’ve achieved the right spreadable consistency, and fluid appears. Drain excess fluid, and store the butter in an airtight container.
Try the Vitamix Honey Butter and Citrus Butter recipes first to become comfortable with the technique. Then create your own flavor blends by adding some of the ingredients below to this basic Butter recipe, or a quality, unsalted butter from the market.
- Herbs: rosemary, basil, chives, cilantro, dill, sage, lemongrass, lemon thyme, lavender
- Bold Flavors: Sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, peppadew peppers, horseradish
- For Sweetness: Honey, molasses, maple syrup, figs, prunes, raisins, dates, dried pineapple, mango, or apricot
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, garam masala (a sweet, exotic blend of traditional Indian spices)
For an elegant touch, shape butters into decorative molds, wrap in plastic, and freeze. A few hours before guests arrive, arrange a variety of butters on a narrow, rectangular platter and fresh garnishes that suggest their flavors: twists of lemon peel, sprigs of herbs, a dusting of cinnamon and brown sugar.