ALL ABOUT THAT BUTTERY GOODNESS

Think of butter as semisolid heavy cream. Cream is what rises to the top of the pail after a cow’s been milked. Just skim off this cream, churn it, and you’ll have butter.

Butter consists of butterfat, water, milk solids, and sometimes salt. Butterfat is directly responsible for the taste and texture of butter — it’s what makes it rich and creamy. The higher the butterfat, the lower the butter’s moisture content. This lack of moisture is what helps cakes rise and pastries flake.