If you keep hearing folks talk about butter boards, here's what you should know!

Butter boards are here to stay, especially as we go into the Christmas season. Everyone is seeking a fashionable new appetizer, and if you're young (or young at heart), butter boards will undoubtedly appear at the party.

A butter board is a wooden board (or ceramic plate) covered with butter and topped with flaky sea salt, freshly ground pepper, spices, herbs, citrus zest, edible flowers, and honey. Butter boards, invented by Portland's award-winning chef Joshua McFadden, are gaining popularity.

Instead of a charcuterie board, the aim is to provide flavored butter. They're infinitely configurable, and the way they're displayed makes butter feel more tactile and participatory. Butter boards include bread, toast, cookies, scones, and anything else that pairs well with butter. A butter board is similar to compound butter (butter flavored with herbs, spices, and other components), but in a different shape.

Table of Contents

Butter Boards

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 0 minutes
Inactive Time: 15 minutes (for flavors to meld)
Total Time: 25 minutes

For 8 Servings

Author: Chris

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) Butter.
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt Flakes.
1 tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup.
1 tablespoon Fresh Herbs.
1 tablespoon Edible Flowers.
1/4 cup Fresh Fruits.
2 tablespoons Nuts.
1/4 teaspoon Paprika or Chili Flakes.
2-3 Roasted Garlic Cloves.
1 teaspoon Lemon or Orange Zest.
2 tablespoons of Crumbled Cheese.
Crackers or Bread: For serving (quantity based on the number of guests).
Optional Additions:
1 teaspoon Olive Oil.
1 tablespoon Jam or Preserves.
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Salt.

Steps

Mix the butter in a basin to soften it even more; it should be spreadable, like peanut butter, but not melted. Layer it in swirls on the serving board.
Liberally season the butter with flaky salt and lemon zest.
Depending on the toppings you've chosen, add each item on top of the butter until evenly distributed. Feel free to be creative here!
To embellish, sprinkle with edible flowers. Serve with warm, crusty bread (ideally sourdough or a hearty whole wheat).

Notes

As stated in the essay, there are other possibilities for topping your board, and this is only a suggestion. Get as creative as you like, but always start with excellent quality butter and a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
The butter board will be good at room temperature for a day, after which you may refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days, depending on what you've topped it with.
To quickly soften butter, microwave it on low for 10 second intervals and blend.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 300 mg
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 60 mg

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