You asked: How do you soften butter for baking without melting it?

If you’re in a real hurry, pour a few cups of very hot (just below boiling) water into a double boiler or a saucepan with a metal bowl nested inside. Put the butter over the water bath and allow to soften. Keep an eye on it so the butter doesn’t start to melt.

How do you get butter to room temperature quickly?

Place the butter cubes in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals until the butter cubes have softened (it really shouldn’t take more than 20 seconds or so). If you don’t have a microwave, you can place the butter cubes in a double boiler over medium-low heat for around 1 minute.

How do I soften butter in the microwave?

To soften butter in the microwave, place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl ($13, Target) and microwave on 30 percent power (defrost) for 15 seconds. Check the consistency of the butter and repeat, if necessary.

How long does it take for butter and eggs to come to room temperature?

You’ll know they’ve reached room temperature when the shells are no longer cool to the touch. Take them out of the fridge and place them on a towel or in a container on the counter, and they’ll reach room temperature in 30 minutes or so.

What happens if butter is not at room temperature?

Room Temperature Butter. … If your butter is too cold because you just took it out of the fridge or only gave it 10 minutes to soften, the sugar crystals can’t claw their way through the hard butter. No trapped air, no light and airy baked good.

How long can butter sit out to soften?

Should You Leave Butter on the Counter? According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it’s left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.

Does it matter if butter is melted or softened?

Softened butter should still be cool, but malleable. It should be able to hold its shape and still firm enough that if you press your finger into it, the impression is clean. It should not be squishy, oily, or appear melted. Too-warm or melted butter loses its ability to cream and hold air when beaten.

Is it OK to soften butter in the microwave?

The problem with microwaving butter is that the microwave can heat the butter unevenly, and tends to over-soften or even melt the butter in places. A New York Times article on butter in baking says, “Never use a microwave: it will melt it, even though it will look solid.

How long do you microwave butter to melt it?

Place butter in microwave-safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave and cover bowl with small plate. Heat butter at 50 percent power until melted, 30 to 60 seconds (longer if melting a lot of butter). Watch butter and stop microwave as soon as butter has melted.

What is the best butter for baking?

For baking purposes, the Test Kitchen recommends using unsalted butter so you can better control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Salted butter is best for serving at the table with bread or to flavor a dish, like mashed potatoes.