.5 oz / 125 g butter

Butter is an emulsified dairy fat produced by churning cream or whole milk to separate the butterfat solids from the buttermilk. Originating from pastoral dairy traditions across Europe, particularly in Northern Europe and the British Isles, butter has become a fundamental cooking fat in Western cuisines. The product consists of approximately 80-82% butterfat, 15-17% water, and 1-2% milk solids, giving it a pale yellow to golden color depending on the diet of dairy cattle and season. Variations include cultured butter (fermented with lactic acid bacteria for tangy flavor), clarified butter or ghee (with water and milk solids removed), and browned butter (heated until milk solids caramelize). Salted and unsalted varieties are produced, with salt serving as a preservative and flavor enhancer.

Butter serves as a primary cooking fat and flavor ingredient across Western, Northern European, and French cuisines. It is used for sautéing, frying, baking (creamed into batters and doughs), and finishing dishes (beurre blanc, compound butters). In pastry-making, butter creates lamination in croissants, puff pastry, and pie doughs through its solid-at-room-temperature structure. Butter also serves as an emulsifier in sauces and a richness enhancer in both sweet and savory preparations. Clarified butter is preferred in Indian cuisine and for high-heat cooking due to its higher smoke point, while cultured butter is favored in artisanal baking and European pastry work.