Q: Very many recipes cannot do without such an important ingredient as butter. In combination with eggs and yeast, butter makes the products more tender, and prolongs their storage period. To extend the shelf life of the butter itself, it is usually stored in a fridge or a freezer. Then it takes a while to soften the butter at the room temperature and almost impossible to melt it in such conditions (well, maybe in the summer when you turn off your air conditioner.) It’s not very convenient. Can we soften or melt the butter fast in a microwave?
How to Melt Butter in the Microwave?
Melting butter in the microwave was never so easy.
- Take the piece of butter and slice it into several smaller slices. By doing so, you increase the surface that can be heated and prevent butter from burning (well, with the microwave you should not expect your butter to be evenly warmed up anyway.)
- Put the slices into a container and cover it with a paper towel (that will protect your oven from splashing)
- Warm up the butter for 10 seconds at low power or with the defrost function
- Stir and check how well it melted
- If the butter has almost melted, put it back into the microwave for another 5 or 10 seconds without the paper towel cover (be extremely careful, as every other 5 seconds can be dramatic to the butter)
- If there are still some small chunks of butter left in the container, you can melt them by means of residual heat. Simply stir it for a minute or so
- Let it cool down a bit before you can add the butter to the rest of ingredients as mentioned in the recipe
Can I Soften Butter in the Microwave?
Yes. There are a few ways to soften the butter. One of the fastest is to microwave it.
Microwaving butter in order to soften it is one of the most risky methods though. If you don’t keep an eye on it, the butter may easily get melt.
If you are not in a hurry, take the butter out of the fridge and leave it for some time until it softens (it depends on the temperature in your kitchen.) You may also place it near the hot oven or on the warm surface.
If you don’t like waiting, go on and microwave it!
Remove the package if it’s not a paper one, and place the butter on a glass or a ceramic plate.
Set your microwave to defrost mode and soften the butter for 5 seconds. Some of the ovens have a “Soft/Melt” function so use this one instead.
The butter will soften faster if you cut it to smaller chunks.
Check the butter with your finger. If you can easily press it and leave a mark, then it’s soft enough.
If it’s still hard, give it other 5 seconds in the microwave.
How to Choose Real Butter?
- First of all, pay attention to the price. Real butter usually costs more than the rest of butter products/spreads
- Remember that you cannot distinguish the substitute from the real butter by eye or by domestic methods
- Choose only brand names of well-known manufacturers that have recommended themselves
- Dishonest manufacturers have managed to imitate the well-known brands packaging. You can call the customer support line. Fake manufacturers often do not even specify their contact numbers
- Pay attention to the date stamp. Real butter is stored for no more than 75 days at -10ºC.
- When you buy butter on the market, be sure to try it and ask the seller for the documents
Fast Chocolate Cake in the Microwave
Ingredients for sponge cake:
Butter – 100g
Black bitter chocolate – 100g
Sugar – 100g
Flour – 100g
Eggs – 3 pcs
Cognac – 2 teaspoons
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
For cream:
Dairy cream – 2 cups
Melted chocolate – 150g
Sugar – ½ cups
Preparation:
- Microwave chocolate with butter for a few minutes. Beat eggs with sugar; add baking powder, flour, cognac and chocolate butter. Knead the dough. Place the dough in a heat-resistant container and microwave for about 7 minutes.
- Prepare the cream. Whip dairy cream with sugar. Cut the cake and fill it with cream.
- Melt chocolate (break it into pieces and microwave for 1-2 minutes) and ice the cake.
