Beurre Noisette

Beurre noisette (French for “hazelnut butter”) is a simple yet almost magical culinary technique that radically changes the taste of ordinary butter. The name refers to the nutty aroma and golden-brown colour of the finished product.

The butter is slowly melted and heating continues: first the water evaporates from it, and then the solid milk particles gradually brown, giving the butter a deep nutty, almost caramel aroma. It is important to take the butter off the heat in time, for a moment more and it will turn into burnt beurre noir (“black butter”). Beurre noisette is used to dress fish, vegetables, pasta, and sauces, and in confectionery it gives a special taste to financier cakes, sponges, and biscuits. It is one of those refined techniques that distinguish a master.