Pumpkin Butter and Honey Pecan Butter

It's been hectic; last week was a wash as far as attempting anything on the beloved range. Happily, we're closing in on holiday cooking which means fancy, once-a-year, ridiculously fattening dishes to prepare soon. And speaking of fattening...

When we were kids, we were left to our own devices one Saturday morning when Mom took off to make a grocery run. We weren't toddlers and so, reasonably able to take care of ourselves; not that much care needed to be taken when we were happily glued to the tube. At some point, one of my sisters went to make buttered toast with sugar sprinkled on top. Somehow, that led to the group of us (I don't remember how), cutting off chunks of butter and rolling them in sugar and eating Sugar Butter Balls. Can you think of anything more revolting? I mean, I can, but that's also because I'm routinely exposed to Things That Make You Wish Your Brain Were An Etch-A-Sketch So You Can Shake Your Head and Erase the Image. But I should also note that a rather tender age, we were already discovering the joys of a compound butter. That we did it accidentally because we were a bunch of little savages is beside the point.

A compound butter is very simply, a flavored butter. This is seriously easy to make -- simply, unsalted butter and the flavoring agents. You can make sweet, or savory butters, to accompany just about every dish. I'm much more partial to sweet butters, but there are few cooler things than producing a fennel butter or a cayenne butter for a meat dish. I'm disinclined towards herb butters because they require extra work and I'm lazy -- to prevent the herbs (using fresh is best) from going rancid in the butter, you have to steep them in boiling water first. Too much effort for what should essentially be creamed butter.

On a recent trip to Charleston, we ate at the Palmetto Café at Charleston Place (I have the world's most patient boss; he let me photograph the food before he ate anything) where we were served a parfait of three compound butters: herb, walnut and pumpkin. I was so entranced by the color of the pumpkin butter, I decided to make a few batches for holiday gifts. As always, it's not possible for me to make anything uncomplicated (or follow a recipe through to fruition because I think it's too blah and needs more flavoring so I add enough spices to choke a llama [where I got llama is beyond me]). I found a recipe for pumpkin butter, but on the first attempt, it was unbelievably boring to the taste buds, so I did a sweeter version with maple syrup (I swear to God I will get off this maple syrup kick soon), and brown sugar. The final result was a gingery pumpkin butter.

Making a pass through the spice rack to find other flavors, I came across an entire container full of lavender flowers. Lavender is so distinct, so unique a scent, always evoking the memory of being in Aix-Les-Bains with Tata Michelle some fifteen years ago (has time really gone by that fast?). Uncertain if lavender butter even made sense, I scoped the Internet and found mainly savory recipes that quite frankly were uninspiring. Deciding to make another sweet compound butter, I remembered a jar full of lavender sugar -- essentially, sugar that had been infused with the scent after I dumped a handful of lavender into the jar of sugar several months ago. However, I didn't want to use regular granulated sugar because I didn't want a grainy butter, so I used confectioner's sugar. I suppose I could have used lavender honey, but I just didn't want the syrupy flavor of honey in this particular butter. I wanted the lavender to star in the show, so I added lavender flowers to a plastic bag of confectioner's sugar and let it sit overnight. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted the flowers in the butter; but on further reflection, thought the addition of the purple flowers would impart a far more interesting aesthetic to accompany the olfactory component. I should just keep my thoughts to myself. The lavender flowers are bitter and I don't particularly like picking flower bits from my tongue -- do you? Definitely a failure. Not even gonna post that particular recipe.

The final compound butter was inspired by Becky Morgan, a sweet friend and colleague, who rhapsodized about honey pecan rolls the other night while we were talking about food. Since I'm not a fan of honey pecan rolls and highly unlikely to make them, I thought a jar of honey pecan butter would make a nice cheat. Again, I should keep my thoughts to myself. It wasn't bad...but since I'm still on my maple kick, the honey just didn't hit the spot.

But at least I have the pumpkin butter. It'll go great on scones, warm breads and pancakes (or waffles). Now to actually go make said scones, breads and pancakes...

If the butter begins to separate or is not creamy and smooth, heat up 1/4 cup of heavy cream and add to the mixture while beating, 1 T at a time, until the butter becomes smooth again.

Pumpkin Butter

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 T brown sugar
1 T ginger
2 t cinnamon
2 t allspice
2 t ground cloves
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

Cream the butter, syrup, sugar, spices together on low speed until the butter breaks and the mixture comes together. Add the puree and mix on medium speed until smooth.

Spread the mixture onto parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate until the butter mixture hardens again, about 4 hours or overnight. Alternatively, you may spoon the mixture into a glass terrine and refrigerate.

Honey Pecan Butter

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup pecans, chopped finely
1/4 cup honey

Cream the butter and honey together on low speed until the butter breaks and the mixture comes together smoothly. Add the pecans and mix until well incorporated.

Spread the mixture onto parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate until the butter mixture hardens again, about 4 hours or overnight. Alternatively, you may spoon the mixture into a glass terrine and refrigerate.

Comments

[Rorie]

Golly, both of these sweet butters sound heavenly! I am seriously intrigued by the honey-pecan flavor - is it as good as it sounds?!!

[LisaSD]

I've just recently discovered pumpkin butter (I know...embarrassing) and I'm in love with Trader Joe's version, but homemade would probably be even better! And I loooove pecans, so the other one sounds great too...

[Cath]

Rorie, the honey-pecan is good, with that honey tartness to it. I think my objection stems from wanting the darker, sweeter taste of maple syrup right now. Enjoy!

Lisa - oh man can I tell you how much I wish I were near enough to Trader Joe's to get their truffle oil? Their chocolates? ANYTHING from Trader Joe's? I have to admit, I'm really enamored of the pumpkin butter -- I know there are other recipes for "pumpkin butter" which is a pumpkin spread, but I'm much more partial to this pumpkin compound butter. My friend Cassandra and I were slathering it on our scones tonight! :-)

[Alicia]

Where did you get the darling pumpkin shaped jar? I must get some for my Fall dinner party.

[cath]

Alicia,

They were purchased at A.C. Moore several winters ago -- I don't know if they still have them there. Good luck!