There is a wide choice of hard fats for both cooking and spreading and, in these health-conscious days, many people opt for the low-cholesterol, polyunsaturated varieties. Nevertheless notwithstanding health warnings, butter is still the preferred spread for bread and toast, and almost all professional cooks choose butter in cooking, whether it's for sauces, pastries or cakes. The very best butters mostly come from France. They are unsalted (sweet) and have a slightly sweet flavor and smooth texture. There are also a huge number of blended butters, which are produced in any number of countries, although among the favorites are Australia and New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland and England. There are two basic types of butter-sweet cream and lactic, which may be salted or unsalted. In Britain and the United States, sweet cream butters tend in Europe also butter make lactic. Different type of milk can make butter. For example, in India, butter is made from water buffalo milk and in the Middle East it is made from ewe's milk.
UNSALTED/SWEET BUTTER
This butter has a mild aroma and a slightly sweet flavor and is particularly suited for making sweet pastries and cakes. It also makes an excellent table butter, although some people, who are accustomed to the most distinctive flavor of salted butter, may find it rather bland and insipid.
SALTED BUTTER
Butter was originally salted to preserve it for the winter months when fresh butter was not made. Today, salt is still added to butter and is normally the only added ingredient. The salt not only adds flavor but still has a preserving effect and salted butter will keep fresher for longer than the unsalted variety. Different brands often have varying amounts of salt added, and it is a matter of taste which you prefer. Some very salty butters are not ideal for baking and should be avoided if you are making desserts or cakes. Butter with less than 3 percent salt does not have to be labelled salted, but is sometimes labelled slightly salted.
CLARIFIED BUTTER
This type of butter is used for cooking. It is made by slowly melting butter and then skimming off the milk solids that rise to the top and pouring or spooning the melted fat off the sediment that is removed from the pan. Can able to see golden liquid. It contains no milk solids, clarified butter can be heated to a higher temperature than ordinary butter and is excellent for butter sauces and certain fried dishes.
GHEE
This type of clarified butter originated in India but is now produced in many other countries. It has a stronger, more caramelized flavor than clarified butter because it is heated for a little longer in the clarifying process. It is also made from a stronger flavored cream. Ghee is usually sold in cans and, as it no longer contains milk solids that will rapidly go off, it is not necessary to keep it in the refrigerator.
CONCENTRATED BUTTER
Specially developed for use in cooking, concentrated butter is produced by removing the milk solids, salt and other impurities, leaving about 96 percent butterfat. It can be heated to higher temperatures than ordinary butter and less of it is required-about 75 g / 30 z/6 tbsp concentrated butter for every 90 g/3 1/2 Oz/7 tbsp ordinary butter. To use it for baking, extra liquid will have to add. Concentrated butter at least three months in the refrigerator.
BUTTER SUBSTITUTES
There are many butter-type products on the market. They are designed to taste and look like butter, but are actually made from combinations of animal and vegetable fats, coloring, stabilizers and preservatives. Some have the same butter fat content as, although others contain a large portion of water, less fat and have fewer calories.
LACTIC BUTTER
This is the type of butter traditionally made in Denmark, Holland and France. The cream is mostly pasteurized inoculated with a culture that ripens the butter, then pasteurized once more to arrest the ripening process.
