Berry Butter Food

FRENCH TOAST WITH BERRY BUTTERS

Steps:

• For the berry butters: In separate batches, whip 2 sticks butter on high in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Switch to the paddle attachment. Add the blackberries. Turn the mixer to low for only about 5 seconds, just long enough for the berries to begin to mix in and break up, but not so long that it turns into a mess. Clean the mixer bowl and attachments and repeat with the remaining 2 sticks butter and the raspberries.
• With each batch, turn the berry butter out onto a long sheet of plastic wrap set over a long sheet of foil. First seal the plastic wrap around the cylinder, and then secure the foil around it. Twist the ends, gradually applying more pressure as you twist in order to make the cylinder taut. Once it's a nice, neat cylinder of foil, place into the freezer for 30 minutes in order to quickly solidify it. Then transfer to the fridge until you're ready to use. The butter should be very firm.
• For the French toast: Cut the bread into slices 1/2-inch thick. In a dish, whisk the egg yolks with the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture, coating both sides. Then remove from the dish and set aside. Repeat until all the bread is coated.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sizzle some butter in the skillet when hot. Cook the French toast on both sides until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Remove the berry butters from the fridge. Unwrap one end and cut some slices. Lay one slice onto each serving of French toast. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, and then drizzle with maple syrup.

THREE BERRY BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan, then line bottom with wax paper and grease paper.
• Heat butter with cream in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, then cool.
• Beat eggs, granulated sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until mixture is thick, pale, and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes with a standing mixer or about 12 minutes with a handheld. Add zest, baking powder, and vanilla and mix on low speed until blended.
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour and half of butter mixture and mix on low speed until blended. Mix in remaining butter and 1 1/4 cups flour in same manner. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute with a standing mixer or 2 minutes with a handheld, or until batter is thick and sticky. Add berries and carefully fold in with a rubber spatula until barely combined. (Raspberries will begin to fall apart, and batter will look slightly pink.) Spoon batter into baking pan, gently smoothing top. Bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.
• Run a knife around edge of cake, then invert rack over cake and flip cake onto it. Remove wax paper and reinvert onto a platter.
• Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.

THE ULTIMATE BERRY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Grate in the frozen butter, stopping occasionally to toss the butter into the flour mixture until coated. Drizzle in vanilla extract; add egg yolks. Stir with a fork until egg is mostly absorbed. Add vinegar; mix briefly. Use your hands to finish mixing, squeezing until clumps but mixture remains mostly dry. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar if needed.
• Combine blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in another bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Sprinkle in cayenne pepper. Mix until sugar and cornstarch are mostly dissolved.
• Place about 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Press mixture down using a flat cup until well compacted. Spread the berries over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top, squeezing some of it into clumps.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is beautifully browned and berry syrup bubbles on the surface, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

BERRY BUTTER

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend all ingredients except butter until berries are pureed; add butter and process until thoroughly mixed with berries.
• Place berry butter in a pastry bag with a star tip; pipe rosettes onto pan lined with waxed or parchment paper; refrigerate until butter sets; serve on cracked ice.

BERRY BUTTER

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend all ingredients except butter until berries are pureed; add butter and process until thoroughly mixed with berries.
• Place berry butter in a pastry bag with a star tip; pipe rosettes onto pan lined with waxed or parchment paper; refrigerate until butter sets; serve on cracked ice.

FLAVORED BUTTER

Steps:

• Using a paring knife scrape vanilla seeds into a food processor and add sugar, almond extract, butter and pulse until mixture is smooth. Serve on toast. For the berry butters add berries with other ingredients pulse until smooth. Place in small ramekins for serving.

BERRY-FILLED BUTTER RIBBONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Using a cookie press fitted with a ribbon disk, press long strips of dough onto ungreased baking sheets; cut ends to release from disk. Cut each strip into 2-in. lengths (no need to separate them)., Bake 6-8 minutes or until set (do not brown). Recut cookies if necessary. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Spread preserves on bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. Dip each cookie halfway in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with jimmies. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set., Freeze option: Wrap dough in waxed paper; place in a freezer container, and freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator overnight or until dough is soft enough to shape with a cookie press. Proceed as directed.

BLUEBERRY BUTTER

Steps:

• Wash the berries and let them dry on a paper towel.
• Allow the butter to come to room temperature so it will soften.
• Slightly mash the berries.
• Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate.