Vegan Butters

Spreadable Olive Oil Vegan Butter

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 06:52:33 +0000

I've gotten into the habit of using various Vegan Butters in my baking projects. I like having the peace of mind in knowing I have complete control over what goes into it. These butters were designed to mimic real butter. But lately I’ve been noticing something. The same hard consistency that allows the butter to work well with creaming into cookie batter, cutting into pie crust dough and rolling with croissant dough can also be its downfall.

This firmness inhibits the butter from being enjoyed on a completely different level: being spread onto toasty pieces of hearth breads, smeared on steamy biscuits and dabbed on pancakes fresh off the griddle. In these cases, butters that are optimal for baking tend to sit on the food, desperately depending on the residual heat to allow them to melt so they hopefully spread out as they ooze along. Then while you’re eating, hopefully you’ll eventually get to the part with the melted butter on it. What a treat that’s going to be! It shouldn’t have to be this way.

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So naturally, I’ve been using my Vegan Butters for baking only and I only noticed there was a problem when another type of commercial vegan butter somehow ended up in my refrigerator, unannounced. “How did that get in there?” I wondered. If I'm having trouble spreading Vegan Butter that's designed for baking, how many other people out there are having the same issues? Sharpen your butter knives, it's time to enjoy Spreadable Vegan Butter!

Let’s break some buttery rules

The most exciting part of developing this Vegan Butter was that I didn’t have to follow as many rules as I did when I worked on the vegan-baking-centric Vegan Butters. This is because we’re not emulating real butter from the ground up here. I decided to keep the fat-to-water ratio about the same as regular butter which is in the neighborhood of 80% fat, 20% water. Since we’re free to focus on spreadable, savory butteriness, let’s see what else we have in our food toolbox!

Not all extra virgin olive oils are created equal

Why not showcase the regal, grassy, earthy flavors of extra virgin olive oil and pair it with buttery flavors? This would make it a healthier and possibly more flavorful option than the commercial competition. To really drive olive oil notes, I recommend seeking out unfiltered extra virgin olive oil because it contains more tasty compounds such as polyphenols and terpenes. I’m a huge fan of unfiltered arbequina and kalamata extra virgin olive oils. Most of the stuff on the US market seems to be intentionally dumbed down and relatively light on flavor. Go forth and be bold ye olive oil taster! Don’t be afraid to try a variety of extra virgin olive oils and select what you prefer. No matter what type of olive oil you choose, keep in mind that the olive oil notes will be in the background due to it only consisting of about half of the overall fat content of this Vegan Butter. The ratio of fats is important because the refined coconut oil takes care of enabling just the firmness we need so things remain spreadable.

The subtle role of acids

Originally I preferred the light tang of apple cider vinegar in my Vegan Butters. Apple cider contains both malic acid as well as acetic acid. The malic acid profices a sharp, fruity tang followed by the acetic acid notes that can emulate cultured flavors. For some people this initial malic acid burst can be a bit much. It also tends to drop off rather quickly after its initial rush. Recently I’ve come to enjoy the smooth, soft acidity of coconut vinegar. I now prefer to combine these characteristics in my Vegan Butters so there's a more subtle fruity start which evolves into a drawn out, smooth and buttery finish that lingers longer on the palate. Of course all of this should be perceived in the background. If it's a little too strong for your liking, feel free to reduce the acid content. If you're having trouble locating coconut vinegar I recommend adding the full amount of apple cider vinegar.

Let’s upgrade the salt

Since we’re going to be spreading this vegan butter on our favorite eats, why not enhance it with a larger amount of a next-level salt such as fleur de sel or Maldon salt? That’ll elevate the olive oil and butter notes to Butter 2.0! Alright then!

If you haven’t tried fleur de sel or Maldon salts for finishing, or sprinkling on top of already cooked or raw food like salads and bruschetta, you’re missing out. I’m obsessed with this stuff. These salts offer layers of complex, minerally, earthy saltiness. Normally you wouldn’t put them inside your food; they’re usually used strictly as finishing salts only. But since we’re breaking the rules, we’re going for it! Just please don’t tell anyone.

Not into breaking the rules or having a hard time finding these salts? If you’re having difficulty ordering them online, there’s hope. Ready? Just use regular salt. Your vegan butter will still rival commercial spreadable vegan butter. I promise.

One of the caveats of using these types of salts is that they’re made up of large, rather strange looking flakes that don’t dissolve easily. This is one of the reasons these salts are used mostly for finishing. To get around this, I call for some extra time in the food processor so these little guys get a chance to dissolve completely.

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Spreadable vegan butter prefers jars, not cubes

Since this Vegan Butter is spreadable, it’ll melt into your warm toast on-contact. This spreadability and meltability means that it should be poured into a mold resembling a small jar or bowl so it can be easily accessible by your spreading knife. That's right- no more juggling with cubes anymore! This spreadability also means that this Vegan Butter shouldn’t be left out of the refrigerator for extended periods. Since it’s not loaded with hydrocolloids like the commercial alternatives, it’ll eventually soften and liquify. In this case It'll need to be whizzed in the food processor and frozen to get back to its buttery self again.

The great thing about using a jar is that it makes your Vegan Butter even easier to make; just pour it into the mold and place it in the freezer so it solidifies quickly. An hour later, place the lid on, transfer it to the refrigerator and marvel at never having to buy the store-bought stuff again. I love wire bale jars because, hey, life is short. Why not store your vegan butter in a cute Bormioli Fido 200 mL wire bale jar? This size happens to hold exactly what this recipe makes.

Be fearless when it comes to mixing up your Vegan Butter by adding fresh or dried herbs, swapping out the olive oil for hemp oil or swapping out the refined coconut oil with unrefined coconut oil. You could even include a dash of smoked paprika or other spice to see how it affects the savoriness. Oh and one more thing: smoked Maldon salt. It’s waiting for you when you’re ready.

This Vegan Butter is for spreading and general cooking only. For baking applications, use other non-spreadable vegan butters such as Regular Vegan Butter. This link also covers the food science of Vegan Butter in more detail.

Spreadable Olive Oil Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)

4 grams fleur de sel, Maldon salt or regular salt (if you don’t have a scale, use ¾ + ⅛ teaspoon regular salt)

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil, melted

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Measure it and add it and the olive oil to a food processor. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 3 minutes then scrape down the sides with a spatula. Process for 3 additional minutes. This lengthy processing time is to allow the salt to dissolve completely. Pour the mixture into a shallow jar or other container and place it in the freezer to solidify with the lid removed so it solidifies as quickly as possible. A 7 ounce wire bale glass jar or similar container works well. The Vegan Butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 1 year. Makes about 1 cup (215 grams), or 8 fluid ounces Spreadable Olive Oil Vegan Butter.

For more Vegan Butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter recipe section.

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White Truffle Vegan Butter

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 05:38:06 +0000

What I like best about Vegan Butter is how it can be crafted to meet your exact flavor and texture specifications. Since we’re building butter from the ground up, we have the freedom to use building blocks that contribute almost any quality we desire. In that roughly 80% fat and 20% water, we have lots of room to play around. For this version I wanted to showcase the unbelievably smooth, savory flavors of truffle oil for a Vegan Butter that could stand up to traditional dairy-based butter as a bread spread, or even quite possibly outdo it when baked into pastry such as savory pie crusts. But why are we infusing vegan butter with truffle oil? Let’s get some background information on what truffle oil brings to the table.

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What I like best about Vegan Butter is how it can be crafted to meet your exact flavor and texture specifications. Since we’re building butter from the ground up, we have the freedom to use building blocks that contribute almost any quality we desire. In that roughly 80% fat and 20% water, we have lots of room to play around. For this version I wanted to showcase the unbelievably smooth, savory flavors of truffle oil for a Vegan Butter that could stand up to traditional dairy-based butter as a bread spread, or even quite possibly outdo it when baked into pastry such as savory pie crusts. But why are we infusing vegan butter with truffle oil? Let’s get some background information on what truffle oil brings to the table.

Truffles

Truffles are the fruiting body of a fungus. This fungus grows symbiotically with trees such as oaks, hazels and lindens. Like most mushrooms, the majority of the fungus is underground; it’s only when the fungus needs to spore that it cultivates the necessary energy to produce the fruiting body. Unlike mushrooms, the truffle is a fruiting body that grows underground. It emits an aroma that attracts animals that find it, eat it and spread the spores back into the environment through their excrement. This is why truffle hunters often employ animals to help them unearth their bounty.

Black truffles

Black truffles are known to be subtle and earthy, with a flavor that is thought to be slightly enhanced by cooking. Bonus: it also contains a compound called androstenone that can be found in men’s underarm sweat! Though not everyone can perceive this particular aroma quality.

White truffles

White truffles have a stronger pungent aroma more akin to garlic, which is a result of their more complex sulphur compounds. These truffles are more suitable to be eaten raw. This quality, as well as the more complex, garlicky characteristics, is why I selected white truffle oil to be used in this Vegan Butter.

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Truffle oil

Truffle oil is traditionally a vegetable oil such as olive oil that has been infused with the flavor of truffles, usually by immersing a few slices of truffles into the oil. These days, due to the expense of truffles, most truffle oil is made with the use of natural flavors. By this I mean that food scientists have figured out that the majority of truffle flavor is produced by a compound called 2,4-dithiapentane.

This compound creates most of what we know as truffle flavor but there are other compounds that produce or highlight other flavor attributes which differentiate black truffle oil and white truffle oil. I’m unsure of whether other compounds are added to truffle oil to achieve these flavor characteristics, or whether real truffles are used in smaller amounts in these cases.

This natural flavoring conundrum has caused a great deal of controversy in the food world, with many chefs proclaiming that truffles not produced from the real thing don’t belong in the kitchen. At the same time many world class chefs counter that, although real truffle oil is broadly preferred, the artificially flavored version is still a great tool for enhancing flavor as long as you know when and where to use these truffle oils. Combine this controversy with the truffle-oil-mania backlash of the early 2010s and it appears that every chef these days has a strong opinion on it.

The fact is that the unaffiliated palate never really knows whether truffle oil has been produced from real truffles or 2,4-dithiapentane; there’s no regulating body that certifies truffle oil so you can’t really be sure that you’ve ever tasted the real thing or not unless you’ve been lucky enough to eat a real slice of truffle. That brand that the famous chef recommends: maybe they used real truffles in it a few years ago but who knows now? It’s anybody’s guess. This makes it almost impossible for me to recommend a particular brand of truffle oil.

I happen to believe that truffle oil in small amounts is fantastic; as long as special attention is paid to how, when and where it’s used, it can be an extremely useful and fun tool to expand your flavor repertoire in the kitchen. If you agree, then keep reading.

"What?! Are you attemptlng to justify putting chemical flavorings into my food?" Keep in mind that many flavorings such as almond and vanilla often feature their true flavor compounds, but created in a controlled environment instead of in the natural world. I look forward to purchasing real truffle oil the next time I come across it. I'm not concerned that small amounts of the compound that provides true truffle flavor, natural or not, is detrimental to my health. You're free to come to your own conclusion.

I found that white truffle oil’s smooth, funky garlic notes were enhanced further by lemon juice as the acid component in this vegan butter. Salt significantly amplifies the savoriness of truffles so I increased it slightly. I then added white pepper and thyme to round out the buttery flavors.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

White Truffle Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil, melted

1 Tablespoon white truffle oil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pinch white pepper

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle the soy milk

Place the soy milk, lemon juice and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles slightly.

2) Blend the fats, thyme and white pepper

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Measure it and add it to a food processor along with the white truffle oil, thyme and white pepper. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Blend the mixture together and place it in a mold to solidify

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. Makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks White Truffle Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Regular Vegan Butter - Cocoa Butter Base

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 02:01:10 +0000

When I originally developed my first Vegan Butter recipe I had no idea it would be helpful to so many bakers. I just wanted something that was truly homemade where I had full control of the production process so I could introduce variations to tailor the vegan butter to the application I was working on. Other advantages were that it didn't need to rely on palm oil, which much of the commercial vegan butter industry utilizes, which is linked to rainforest destruction, as well as placing Sumatra orangutans in perilous danger.

The original Vegan Butter recipe uses refined coconut oil for a base, but what happens if there begins to be environmental issues with that type of oil? What if it's difficult to find coconut oil in your area? What if you recently had a dump truck empty 3500 pounds of deodorized cocoa butter in your driveway and you're wondering what to do with it? I don't know which one of these issues led to this, but soon after posting the first Vegan Butter recipe, people started inquiring how to make it using cocoa butter instead of coconut oil.
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When I originally developed my first Vegan Butter recipe I had no idea it would be helpful to so many bakers. I just wanted something that was truly homemade where I had full control of the production process so I could introduce variations to tailor the vegan butter to the application I was working on. Other advantages were that it didn't need to rely on palm oil, which much of the commercial vegan butter industry utilizes, which is linked to rainforest destruction, as well as placing Sumatra orangutans in perilous danger.

The original Vegan Butter recipe uses refined coconut oil for a base, but what happens if there begins to be environmental issues with that type of oil? What if it's difficult to find coconut oil in your area? What if you recently had a dump truck empty 3500 pounds of deodorized cocoa butter in your driveway and you're wondering what to do with it? I don't know which one of these issues led to this, but soon after posting the first Vegan Butter recipe, people started inquiring how to make it using cocoa butter instead of coconut oil.

So, by popular demand, here is the recipe for Regular Vegan Butter - Cocoa Butter Base. Due to the difficulty of melting cocoa butter, the process of making this variation of Vegan Butter is different which is why I decided to post it on its own recipe page. Just like coconut oil, cocoa butter comes in both regular and deodorized, also known as refined versions, where they run it through an activated charcoal filter to remove its chocolatey flavors. This results in a wonderfully versatile solid fat that's extremely useful for a variety of uses. Looking to take advantage of the chocolate flavor of regular, unrefined cocoa butter? Then check out White Chocolate Vegan Butter.

When making these vegan butters it's highly recommended that you use a silicone mold like the Tovolo King Cube Extra Large Silicone Ice Cube Tray. This will allow you to make gorgeous butter cubes that can easily be slid out of the molds.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

Regular Vegan Butter Recipe - Cocoa Butter Base

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ cup + 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (85 grams) refined (deodorized) cocoa butter, melted

¼ cup canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Melt the cocoa butter in a small saucepan over low heat so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. You can also use a microwave but the melting is considerably faster using the saucepan melting method. Measure it and add it and the canola oil to a food processor. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your cocoa butter is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks Regular Vegan Butter - Cocoa Butter Base.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Chocolate Vegan Butter

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:31:15 +0000

One of the benefits of Vegan Butter is that since you’re building it up from scratch, you can have full control of what you want it to be. It doesn’t have to go down the route of completely replicating traditional butter if you don’t want it to. Why would you want to replicate the texture of butter but not necessarily the flavor? Frostings and short doughs such as tart dough, pie crust and shortbread come to mind. You have much more variability in your end result if you can control flavor through your actual fat in addition to other ingredients. Imagine chocolate croissants where the butter is replaced with a fat that has the texture and flavor characteristics of both chocolate and butter. This is the reason I developed Chocolate Vegan Butter. Oh and you can spread it on toast too. {loadposition share}

One of the benefits of Vegan Butter is that since you’re building it up from scratch, you can have full control of what you want it to be. It doesn’t have to go down the route of completely replicating traditional butter if you don’t want it to. Why would you want to replicate the texture of butter but not necessarily the flavor? Frostings and short doughs such as tart dough, pie crust and shortbread come to mind. You have much more variability in your end result if you can control flavor through your actual fat in addition to other ingredients. Imagine chocolate croissants where the butter is replaced with a fat that has the texture and flavor characteristics of both chocolate and butter. This is the reason I developed Chocolate Vegan Butter. Oh and you can spread it on toast too.

This version of vegan butter took considerably more work to develop than I thought. This is because I needed to dial in the chocolate flavor and butter flavor all while keeping the texture as close to traditional butter as possible.

The amount of chocolate added was important because it needed to be assertive but not too overpowering so the butter flavors could shine through. I also needed to tune in sweetness to enhance the chocolate flavors, but not too much or else the butter flavor would suffer. Finally, since chocolate has solids and cocoa butter doesn’t, the hardness of the vegan butter will change depending on the ratio of these two ingredients. The end result is a vegan butter that walks the line between butter and chocolate and can be used anywhere you’d normally use traditional butter. This results in the vegan butter having an extremely subtle sweetness.

Due to the different melting temperatures of cocoa butter and coconut oil, it's not possible to substitute coconut oil for the cocoa butter in this recipe and have the texture resemble traditional butter. In this case it would be excessively soft so it's not recommended.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

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Chocolate Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk

¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

55 grams unrefined cocoa butter, melted

40 grams 100% unsweetened dark chocolate, melted

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar

¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder
¼ vanilla bean (or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)

1) Curdle the soy milk

Place the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Whisk together the flavor building ingredients

In a medium saucepan, add the cocoa butter, unsweetened dark chocolate, sugar, salt and instant coffee powder. Whisk over medium-low heat until the fats are melted.

3) Whisk in the final ingredients

Whisk in the soy milk mixture from Step 1 followed by the lecithin, xanthan gum and vanilla. Whisk over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

4) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks Chocolate Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Cultured European Style Vegan Butter

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:35:04 +0000

The more I learn about pastry, the more I realize that European pastry is on a completely different level compared to classic American pastry. My impression is that European pastry is all about introducing flavor depth through manipulating eggs, butter and technique. Croissants, strudel and danish pastries come to mind. American pastry, on the other hand, tends to build off bold flavors with a strong sugar backbone accentuated by spices. Apple pie, cupcakes and cookies come to mind here.

In the quest to become an adept baker, it’s important to draw from as many influences as possible. One trick that many American style bakers use to improve flavor depth is taking a cue from European bakers by using cultured European style butter.

How does American style butter differ from European style butter? Let’s take a look.

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The more I learn about pastry, the more I realize that European pastry is on a completely different level compared to classic American pastry. My impression is that European pastry is all about introducing flavor depth through manipulating eggs, butter and technique. Croissants, strudel and danish pastries come to mind. American pastry, on the other hand, tends to build off bold flavors with a strong sugar backbone accentuated by spices. Apple pie, cupcakes and cookies come to mind here.

How does American style butter differ from European style butter? Let’s take a look.

American Style Butter

American style butter has about 80 percent fat and is frequently pasteurized. Pasteurization wipes most of the naturally occurring microbes so the butter tastes clean. Most American cows are raised in factory farms and fed a diet of corn and soy so the butter is white and devoid of minerals also which accentuates this clean flavor.

European Style Butter

European style butter is about 82 to 86 percent fat and is developed more slowly which enables the cream to slightly ferment which allows the butter to develop a subtle sour tang. European cows are more likely to be grass fed which contributes carotenoids and minerals to the butter, contributing to a more rich flavor and yellow color. The slightly higher fat to water ratio compared to American style butter means that layered doughs will have a slightly lower tendency for gluten development and the fat will remain solid for a longer period which can be beneficial for layered doughs and short crusts.

The Components of Vegan Cultured European Style Vegan Butter

I set out to create a vegan European style butter so I could have other options when baking things like croissants and danishes. I wanted this vegan butter to be easy to make so other bakers could replicate it so I utilized plain non-dairy soy yogurt to make the water-based component. I then used slightly more fat than I normally do in Regular Vegan Butter to be true to style.

The Sad, Sorry State of Vegan Yogurts

Have you had vegan yogurt lately? If you haven’t tasted dairy yogurt in a while you may believe that it’s close to the quality of dairy yogurt and be content. It turns out that, in my opinion, vegan yogurt is in a very interesting place in the food world. Is it that vegan yogurt manufacturers don’t know any better or is it that most vegans keep buying lackluster yogurts to the point of where the vegan yogurt industry doesn’t feel compelled to change? It’s like the difference between Sunny D and fresh squeezed orange juice. Most vegan yogurts are just glorified starch slurries that have been hurried through any fermentation at all if they’re lucky. This made it tough to recommend a vegan yogurt for this vegan butter. I should mention that I do have a friend that is working to change the state of vegan yogurt in the form of a fermented coconut yogurt which I’m thrilled about.

Cultured butter utilizes slightly fermented cream so I would have to find a yogurt that had as complex of a flavor as possible. This automatically ruled out anything other than a couple soy yogurts. After reviewing vegan yogurts, I found that the yogurts with the most complex flavor available in the United States would be Wildwood Plain Soyogurt and Wholesoy Plain soy yogurt, in that order. I currently don’t recommend anything other than those two soy yogurts in the US. If you make your own vegan yogurt or know of a small producer who uses traditional methods to make a higher quality yogurt, then use that. If you’re thinking of using coconut or almond yogurt made by a major manufacturer, don’t waste your time and just make Regular Vegan Butter. Furthermore, if you’re interested in producing European style vegan butter as authentic as possible, I strongly advise you to not sacrifice that container of peach non-dairy yogurt you have in the back of your refrigerator; the sweetness alone will not make your vegan butter true to style.

Combined with the slightly higher fat content and preferred soy yogurt, the vegan butter still didn’t have enough of the cultured flavor I was after so I included a small amount of apple cider vinegar to amplify it. Vegan yogurts are usually loaded with hydrocolloids so I was able to get away from using xanthan gum, but not lecithin. The lecithin will make your butter more plastic which means it will melt more uniformly without separating. This is especially important in layered pastry.

When making these vegan butters it's highly recommended that you use a silicone mold like the Tovolo King Cube Extra Large Silicone Ice Cube Tray. This will allow you to make gorgeous butter cubes that can easily be slid out of the molds.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

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Cultured European Style Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 1 teaspoon plain, non-dairy yogurt (unsweetened if possible and preferably soy)

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted

2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

1) Curdle the yogurt

Add the non-dairy yogurt, apple cider vinegar and salt to the food processor. Process it for about 30 seconds and allow it to sit for a few minutes so the soy yogurt slightly curdles.

2) Mix the Vegan Butter ingredients

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Measure it and add it and the canola oil to the food processor. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the lecithin and process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks Cultured European Style Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter | Soy-free

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:45:53 +0000

Several years ago, one of my favorite restaurants, Millennium, in San Francisco had a particular bread spread they would serve with fresh bread, just as you were seated. This particular spread wasn't buttery, but it had a particular creamy buttery oomph that actually made it taste better than butter when it was slathered on your crusty slice. And since it obviously wasn't butter, you could spread on even more without getting funny looks from your Mom across the table. You could run out of it and confidently ask for more, again and again! Then one day they switched over to a fava bean-based spread that was sadly sub par and the bread spread I loved oh so much mysteriously disappeared from existence. This savory bread spread made a lasting impression on me and I knew that one day I would rise to the challenge and create my own rich version. {loadposition share}

Several years ago, one of my favorite restaurants, Millennium, in San Francisco had a particular bread spread they would serve with fresh bread, just as you were seated. This particular spread wasn't buttery, but it had a particular creamy buttery oomph that actually made it taste better than butter when it was slathered on your crusty slice. And since it obviously wasn't butter, you could spread on even more without getting funny looks from your Mom across the table. You could run out of it and confidently ask for more, again and again! Then one day they switched over to a fava bean-based spread that was sadly sub par and the bread spread I loved oh so much mysteriously disappeared from existence. This savory bread spread made a lasting impression on me and I knew that one day I would rise to the challenge and create my own rich version.

The nuances of packing richness and savoriness into Vegan Butter

Although Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter is different from the creamy Millennium bread spread of yore, like the restaurant's version, I feel it fills the niche that so many vegan butters and spreads lack; the ability to provide a rich, savory kick that butter can't even do. This is because the tahini adds sharpness, the miso adds savory complexity and the tarragon ties it all together with an irresistible herbaceousness. And since it's Vegan Butter, it can be used in baking savory items like pie crusts for vegan pot pies, pizza crusts or even biscuits while keeping dough textures intact.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon vegetable oil.

It's important to use shiro miso in Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter. Golden hued shiro miso has a delicate savory flavor compared to the funk of the other misos, mainly due to it not being fermented as long.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter. {loadposition body-ad-1}

Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter Recipe

½ cup + 1 Tablespoon refined coconut oil, melted

2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoons tahini

1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoons shiro miso

1 Tablespoon (about 3 grams) fresh tarragon

1 Tablespoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil
1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Melt the coconut oil

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible.

2) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Place the coconut oil, tahini, miso, tarragon, canola oil, lecithin and xanthan gum in a food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. If you have a VitaMix, blend on the lowest setting for 1 minute.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams) of Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter, or the equivalent of 2 sticks vegan butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Garlic Vegan Butter | Soy-free

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Several years ago I ate at a world famous garlic themed restaurant in San Francisco and discovered to my excitement that caramelized garlic can be delectable spread on bread the same way as butter. I couldn’t believe how the garlic transformed from a spicy, harshness to a smooth, subtle butteriness with just the application of heat. In later years I became more familiar with this magical trait of garlic and decided to pair it with the creaminess of vegan butter here. Enjoy this Garlic Vegan Butter spread on your toast, baked into your hearth breads or use it as a base for something like puff pastry garlic knots. Either way, it’ll be able to stand up to the complexity of traditional butter.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon olive oil. {loadposition share}

Several years ago I ate at a world famous garlic themed restaurant in San Francisco and discovered to my excitement that caramelized garlic can be delectable spread on bread the same way as butter. I couldn’t believe how the garlic transformed from a spicy, harshness to a smooth, subtle butteriness with just the application of heat. In later years I became more familiar with this magical trait of garlic and decided to pair it with the creaminess of vegan butter here. Enjoy this Garlic Vegan Butter spread on your toast, baked into your hearth breads or use it as a base for something like puff pastry garlic knots. Either way, it’ll be able to stand up to the complexity of traditional butter.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon olive oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

Garlic Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons caramelized garlic paste (about 30 cloves or 95 grams)

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil, melted

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules

1) Caramelize your garlic

Preheat your oven to 400F (204C). Peel the garlic and place it in a heat proof container such as a small metal or ceramic bowl. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and poke about 6 holes for steam to escape. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cloves are soft when poked with a fork. Remove from heat, allow to cool and transfer the caramelized garlic to a blender.

2) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Transfer it to the blender. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

Add the olive oil, salt and soy lecithin. Blend on high for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides with a spatula halfway through the duration.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Kimchi Vegan Butter

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Kimchi adds a layer of spicy tang to vegan butter due to its fermented goodness. You can use mild or spicy kimchi depending on how much spice you'd like to have come through. I recommend medium to spicy kimchi for a complex Vegan Butter that's great on toast or other savory items. You could even make a mushroom Vegan Turnover using this as your butter block!

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.
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Kimchi adds a layer of spicy tang to vegan butter due to its fermented goodness. You can use mild or spicy kimchi depending on how much spice you'd like to have come through. I recommend medium to spicy kimchi for a complex Vegan Butter that's great on toast or other savory items. You could even make a mushroom Vegan Turnover using this as your butter block!

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter. Find out How to Make Vegan Kimchi yourself if you want to really pull out all the stops.

Kimchi Vegan Butter Recipe

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons soy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
½ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil, melted
1 Tablespoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

2 firmly packed Tablespoons kimchi

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Mix your fats

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Measure it and add it and the canola oil to a food processor. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration.

4) Add your kimchi

Add the kimchi and process until smooth.

5) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

White Chocolate Vegan Butter

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

This White Chocolate Vegan Butter is enhanced with sweet, white chocolate undertones. Spread this Vegan Butter on chocolate muffins, crusty toast or feature it in a white chocolate tart crust. A white chocolate danish dough with dark chocolate in the center could be particularly interesting.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the cocoa butter with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.

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This White Chocolate Vegan Butter is enhanced with sweet, white chocolate undertones. Spread this Vegan Butter on chocolate muffins, crusty toast or feature it in a white chocolate tart crust. A white chocolate danish dough with dark chocolate in the center could be particularly interesting.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter and perform optimally in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the cocoa butter with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

White Chocolate Vegan Butter Recipe

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons soy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (115 grams) cocoa butter, melted
2 Tablespoons canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

¼ vanilla bean (or ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract)

2 teaspoons amber agave syrup
1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Melt the cocoa butter

3) Add the vanilla

Cut a quarter off the length of a vanilla bean. Now cut the quarter in half lengthwise and use a knife to scrape out the center paste of the bean by running it along the inside, lengthwise.

4) Mix the ingredients and transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the soy milk mixture, vanilla bean paste, agave syrup, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks of White Chocolate Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Banana Vegan Butter | Soy-free

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Banana Vegan Butter doesn't utilize curdling so it's great for people looking to avoid soy. It can also be made raw. It has a smooth, subtle buttery banana flavor that's great for using as a butter substitute or for amping up desserts that already showcase banana. Try Banana Vegan Butter on pancakes or make banana croissants. Non-dairy butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil. {loadposition share}

Banana Vegan Butter doesn't utilize curdling so it's great for people looking to avoid soy. It can also be made raw. It has a smooth, subtle buttery banana flavor that's great for using as a butter substitute or for amping up desserts that already showcase banana. Try Banana Vegan Butter on pancakes or make banana croissants. Non-dairy butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

Banana Vegan Butter Recipe

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 Tablespoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon banana purée
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Melt the fats

2) Mix the Vegan Butter and pour it into a mold to solidify

Add the banana purée, salt, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks Banana Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Three Herbed Vegan Butter

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Three Herbed Vegan Butter is the ultimate Vegan Butter because three fresh herbs are infused into it, resulting in multiple layers of buttery goodness. Feel free to mix up the herbs to add your own special flavor profile. Slather this butter on crusty artisanal breads for an amazing flavor combination. You can also use Three Herbed Vegan Butter to make buttermilk biscuits or a savory pie crust. This is currently my best attempt at making a vegan butter that rivals real butter.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon olive oil.
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Three Herbed Vegan Butter is the ultimate Vegan Butter because three fresh herbs are infused into it, resulting in multiple layers of buttery goodness. Feel free to mix up the herbs to add your own special flavor profile. Slather this butter on crusty artisanal breads for an amazing flavor combination. You can also use Three Herbed Vegan Butter to make buttermilk biscuits or a savory pie crust. This is currently my best attempt at making a vegan butter that rivals real butter.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon olive oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

Three Herbed Vegan Butter Recipe

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

¾ cup + 1 Tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
0.2 ounces thyme
0.2 ounces tarragon
0.2 ounces basil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Infuse your fats with herb essences

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave then measure it and add it to a small saucepan with the olive oil. Place the herbs in the saucepan and bring the oil up to about 100 - 150F (38 - 66C). Give the vegetables a quick stir then remove the saucepan from heat. Set aside for about 10 minutes then strain out the herbs. Allow the coconut oil to cool to near room temperature. Making smooth vegan butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Mix your ingredients and transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks of Three Herbed Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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Coconut Vegan Butter

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Coconut Vegan Butter is similar to Vegan Butter but involves unrefined coconut oil and agave syrup to accentuate the coconut flavors. The result is a spread that celebrates the richness and smoothness that only coconut can offer. Since this Vegan Butter is slightly more sweet than a regular vegan butter, it's recommended to add another layer of complexity to things like pancakes, toast or a baked item where coconut would enhance flavor. Also use this to make things like coconut pie crust or coconut lime scones.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 additional Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil. {loadposition share}

Coconut Vegan Butter is similar to Vegan Butter but involves unrefined coconut oil and agave syrup to accentuate the coconut flavors. The result is a spread that celebrates the richness and smoothness that only coconut can offer. Since this Vegan Butter is slightly more sweet than a regular vegan butter, it's recommended to add another layer of complexity to things like pancakes, toast or a baked item where coconut would enhance flavor. Also use this to make things like coconut pie crust or coconut lime scones.

Vegan Butter is designed to mimic real butter in vegan baking applications. Like real butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.

Learn more about the food science behind Vegan Butter.

Coconut Vegan Butter Recipe

3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 Tablespoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

4 teaspoons amber agave syrup
1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle the soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Mix the Vegan Butter ingredients

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies

Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. The vegan butter should be ready to use in about an hour. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year. This recipe makes 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks Coconut Vegan Butter.

For more vegan butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter section.

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How to Make Vegan Butter - Regular Vegan Butter - Coconut Oil Base

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Butter is one of those ingredients that can be so central to baking that as soon as some people hear the term vegan baking they wonder aloud almost in a panic, “what about the butter?!” Many vegan baked items get along great with fats like canola, coconut oil or even olive oil. These types of fats work wonders for cakes, cookies, bars and breads. When designing recipes where we need something to act like butter, things start to get complicated. Solid fats like butter and margarine are integral to things like puff pastry, pie crust, shortbread, croissants, danish dough and certain cakes. This is because in these cases the fat is used to coat the flour so gluten doesn't develop too much and also trap air bubbles to enhance leavening and texture. The only option in these instances is to turn to a margarine or similar vegan butter that is solid at room temperature and gets soft as it melts so it blends to one cohesive mass of dough. {loadposition share}

Butter is one of those ingredients that can be so central to baking that as soon as some people hear the term vegan baking they wonder aloud almost in a panic, “what about the butter?!” Many vegan baked items get along great with fats like canola, coconut oil or even olive oil. These types of fats work wonders for cakes, cookies, bars and breads. When designing recipes where we need something to act like butter, things start to get complicated. Solid fats like butter and margarine are integral to things like puff pastry, pie crust, shortbread, croissants, danish dough and certain cakes. This is because in these cases the fat is used to coat the flour so gluten doesn't develop too much and also trap air bubbles to enhance leavening and texture. The only option in these instances is to turn to a margarine or similar vegan butter that is solid at room temperature and gets soft as it melts so it blends to one cohesive mass of dough.
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Vegan butter options as of this writing are pretty slim. If you're lucky, you have access to Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Spectrum Spread (tub margarine is a no-no in baking due to its excessive water and salt content). These margarines utilize a blend of fats, water, starches and gums to mimic real butter. If you're unlucky you only have access to other margarines which use a process called partial hydrogenation to solidify vegetable (usually soy) oil. This hydrogenation process alters the fat structure which also happens to create compounds called trans fatty acids that are highly toxic to the body. Toxic to the point of where finding local, sustainably raised real butter would ironically probably be a better pseudo-vegan alternative in the grand scheme of things.

Non-hydrogenated vegan margarines aren't knights in shining buttery armor either. Lots of them use palm oil which, as of this writing, is currently associated with rainforest destruction due to its rising popularity as regions like Sumatra scramble to devote more land to its production without respecting the environment. Imagine that: a vegan option that actually leads to habitat destruction. There are efforts currently underway to sustainably cultivate palm oil but as vegans know, the best way to really know that you're not contributing to it is to just not buy it.

I've never been a huge fan of margarines because I find that they're so packed with chemicals and stabilizers that they frequently remind me of what it would be like to chew on a candle on a hot day. Have you ever done a taste test with butter and margarine? Butter dissolves away on the tongue and margarine overstays its welcome by a long shot, leaving a gummy residue lingering on. Loving a challenge, I decided to do something about this lack of quality vegan butter and give my best shot to making my own alternative. Lucky for us, this turned out to be much easier than I thought and I think I may have opened a buttery portal to give vegan bakers a little more power to innovate with the flavor of their recipes. Buttery Vegan Shortbread anyone?

I make Vegan Butter in large batches and store it in my freezer. The night before I bake I transfer it to my refrigerator or kitchen counter depending on the consistency my recipe calls for.

Understanding Real Butter

To create Vegan Butter we must understand traditional dairy-based butter. Dairy butter consists of about 78% fat, 18% water and 4% milk solids. In Europe, the fat is usually even higher in proportion to the water. The milk solids are responsible for emulsifying the fat and water, adding additional flavor and allowing the margarine to melt softly. I decided that in order to have a tasty vegan drop-in replacement for butter and margarine in things like laminated doughs and pie crusts, I'd have to stick to these figures. And heck, I'd might as well do my best to make it taste awesome as a spread too.

To create Vegan Butter we must understand traditional dairy-based butter. Dairy butter consists of about 78% fat, 18% water and 4% milk solids.

Real butter comes from heavy cream. The fat globules in the cream are completely surrounded and suspended in a network of emulsifying compounds in the water. As you shake the cream, the fats get shaken out of their emulsifying network, find each other and join together. As they join together they start to solidify and the water can be drained away to a point. The result is butter.

Designing Vegan Butter

In regards to fat I'd have to use something that's solid at room temperature and not be palm oil due to the environmental issues associated with it. Coconut oil is perfect for this application because it's available refined (unflavored) and unrefined (with coconut flavor intact). Cocoa butter comes in a close second but let's face it- it has an overwhelming chocolate flavor. To capitalize on this, I developed a bonus White Chocolate Vegan Butter. Here's to hoping coconut oil and cocoa butter production don't lead to habitat destruction as their popularity rises.

Coconut oil supposedly has health benefits over other fats but as of this writing it really depends on who you talk to. One camp insists that coconut fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids that are small enough to the point of where they don't get stored as much as other fats and result in quick-burning energy. This camp also insists that the high amount of saturated fat in coconut oil isn't detrimental to health as other saturated fats. The other camp pledges that all saturated fats are bad and should be avoided. I personally think it's too early to say one is right and the other is wrong and happily exercise the everything in moderation approach.

It would be pretty easy to make a fat with the consistency of butter but how would I mimic the flavor without resorting to chemicals? I'm a firm believer in the power of curdling and fermentation. Fermentation and curdling involve hundreds of chemical reactions that produce a multitude of complex flavor compounds with a depth that can't be replicated by chemicals. I know that dairy products like cultured butter and crème fraiche involve a certain level of fermentation; you can even buy the cultures at cheese making stores and make it yourself. I wasn't interested in the complexity of fermenting before mixing my ingredients though. This would probably be more trouble than it was worth. What if I simply curdled non-dairy milk to build the flavor I was looking for?

Non-Dairy Milk Curdling

Curdling involves adding acids to a liquid that causes the proteins to unravel like balls of yarn. As the proteins unravel, their strands line up, join together and tighten. This tightening causes tiny clumps in the mixture and also generates a large array of flavors that add a significant amount of depth to almost anything you bake it with. You may have noticed how much of a fan of curdled non-dairy milk I am due to how often I use it in my recipes on Veganbaking.net.

Several weeks prior to these Vegan Butter experiments I conducted tests with different non-dairy milks to see how they vary in curdling in regards to taste. I ended up curdling a half cup of soy, hemp, almond, rice and coconut milks each in 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for 10 minutes, then analyzing thickness and flavor. The results were surprising: soy milk curdled the most and had the most complex flavor (think buttermilk), followed by hemp milk, then almond milk. Coconut milk and rice milk didn't curdle at all. This confirmed my theory that curdling is directly proportional to the amount of protein in the non-diary milk. This makes perfect sense after the explanation of curdling above. This Vegan Butter was going to have to use soy milk. You could probably make a cashew purèe to use for this base if you're not keen on soy, however I haven't tried this yet as of this writing. Banana Vegan Butter doesn't use curdling to build flavor so this is an option for those interested in eliminating soy. It can also be made raw.

Since curdling is directly proportional to butter flavor development, high-protein non-dairy milks such as soy milk will provide the highest degree of butter flavor in Vegan Butter. Other non-dairy milks can be used, but don't expect the same degree of butter flavor.

Due to this discovery of the flavor-building properties of soy milk curdled with acid, I'll be using soy milk exclusively when I want to build flavor in this manner from here on out.

The role of acidity in Vegan Butter

Traditional butter doesn’t really have a noticeable acid profile to speak of. Since we’re building our own butter from the ground up, we need to think about acid’s extremely subtle role in savory, buttery foods. In this case, the acid plays two roles:

It’s responsible for curdling the proteins in the soy milk which creates a layer of savory flavor.

Butter flavor is also enhanced from the acid itself.

After I experimented with several vinegars as well as lemon juice, I originally settled on 100 percent apple cider vinegar to drive butter flavors. This vinegar features malic as well as acetic acid which is a great combination. The malic acid delivers initial fruity notes whereas the acetic acid promotes a volatile cultured butteriness that can be easily perceived in the nose.

One of the problems with malic acid is that it features an initial sharp, acidic punch that quickly fades. This burst of acidity can be a little too much for people who are sensitive to acidity. It wasn’t until later that I discovered the merits of coconut vinegar.

Coconut vinegar lacks the fruitiness of apple cider vinegar but features a smoother acid profile that lingers longer. I found that combining apple cider vinegar with coconut vinegar provides the best combination of subtle fruitiness with a smooth, lingering finish. If you can’t find coconut vinegar, feel free to use 100 percent apple cider vinegar. If you’re particularly sensitive to acidity in general, don’t be afraid to experiment with lowering the acidity to your liking.

Emulsifiers and stabilizers

Now that I had the fat and flavor-building ingredients down, I needed to bring everything together into a smooth cohesive, malleable mass that could be worked into dough, creamed into airy masses for cakes and cut into pie crust dough. Emulsifiers are compounds that bind oil-based ingredients and water-based ingredients into one cohesive mixture. I decided to use soy lecithin for this purpose due to its affordability and effectiveness. Xanthan gum was developed in the mid 20th century from the slimy grime that grows on vegetables in the refrigerator. It so happens that this vegetable gum is a wonder ingredient, acting as both an emulsifier and a stabilizer. A stabilizer is able hold air bubbles and support structure.

Psyllium husk powder

As I’ve learned in the comments section for this Vegan Butter, for one reason or another, some people just aren’t that keen on xanthan gum. For some it’s due to an allergic reaction. Others just aren’t into the idea of eating food that’s not in its natural state. Although I feel that xanthan gum works as an excellent emulsifier and stabilizer in Vegan Butter, I respect those who choose to not consume it.

After some suggestions in the comments and further testing, I’ve found that psyllium husk powder can work as a suitable stabilizer for Vegan Butter.

Keep in mind that if you choose to not use xanthan gum or psyllium husk powder, Vegan Butter will be, as they say in the butter world, less plastic or malleable. This can cause it to be more difficult to work with in some recipes because it’ll shear when cut into recipes instead of squish. It also won't be able to hold air bubbles when whipped.

Fine tuning the salt

I decided to walk a fine line in regards to salt in Vegan Butter. You may laugh at the measurement of ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt in the recipe below. I wanted the salt level to be sufficient enough to yield buttery flavor in most applications but not to the point of where it added to the saltiness of baked items.

I ended up fine tuning this formula and the results worked so well I decided to develop variants I now feature in the Vegan Butters recipe section. These variants include Miso Tahini Tarragon Vegan Butter, Three Herbed Vegan Butter, Cultured European Style Vegan Butter and White Truffle Vegan Butter. Use these anywhere you would use traditional butter or margarine. I must say I'm baffled as to why this hasn't been done before and promptly placed on the market. A vegan butter that doesn't use space-age ingredients would surely fly off store shelves, even if it were relatively expensive.

When making these Vegan Butters it's highly recommended that you use a silicone mold like the Tovolo King Cube Extra Large Silicone Ice Cube Tray. This will allow you to make gorgeous butter cubes that can easily be slid out of the molds.

Find out how to make Regular Vegan Butter with Cocoa Butter as a base

This is regular 'ol Vegan Butter that's designed to mimic your favorite commercial variant. Use it wherever you use butter or margarine. Like traditional butter, Vegan Butter is more solid than tub margarine and not as spreadable. This is so it can perform optimally in vegan baking applications. If your goal is to have a conveniently softer, spreadable Vegan Butter, swap out 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 additional Tablespoon canola, light olive oil or rice bran oil.
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Regular Vegan Butter Recipe - Coconut Oil Base

Yield: 1 cup (215 grams), or the equivalent of 2 sticks

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons soy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut vinegar (if you can’t find coconut vinegar, substitute with ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar so the total is 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (130 grams) refined coconut oil, melted
1 Tablespoon canola oil, light olive oil or rice bran oil

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin or liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 ¼ teaspoons soy lecithin granules
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or ½ + ⅛ teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1) Curdle your soy milk

Place the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar and salt in a small cup and whisk together with a fork. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture curdles.

2) Mix your Vegan Butter ingredients

Melt the coconut oil in a microwave so it's barely melted and as close to room temperature as possible. Measure it and add it and the canola oil to a food processor. Add the soy milk mixture, soy lecithin and xanthan gum to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through the duration.

Making smooth Vegan Butter is dependent on the mixture solidifying as quickly as possible after it's mixed. This is why it's important to make sure your coconut oil is as close to room temperature as possible before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

3) Transfer the Vegan Butter to a mold so it solidifies.

Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the freezer to solidify. An ice cube mold works well. It should be ready to use in about an hour. Store Vegan Butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 year.

For more Vegan Butter recipes check out the Vegan Butter recipe section.

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