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Butter

Rich, creamy, and naturally golden, it's no wonder butter has ruled the kitchen for centuries.

All about butter

A kitchen staple (and the not-so-secret ingredient in your favourite dishes), butter is made by separating cream from fresh milk, then churning it until smooth—often finished with a pinch of salt for extra flavour.

Butter enhances the taste of both sweet and savoury dishes, creating depth and indulgence in everything from pastries to roasted vegetables. Its high-fat content makes it perfect for baking, providing flakiness to pastries and tenderness to cakes.

Simply put, butter makes everything better.

Let’s talk: Nutrition

Butter consists of at least 80% milk fat, about 16% water, 1.5–2% salt and 2% other milk solids. Its fat profile includes approximately:

  • 67% saturated fat
  • 29% monounsaturated fat
  • 4% polyunsaturated fat.

Butter also naturally contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fat linked to potential cancer-protective properties, as well as essential vitamins A and E. Yep, butter is an overachiever.

In Australia, butter contains no artificial colouring, staying true to its natural, wholesome quality.

What about storage?

Butter should be stored at 4°C in its original sealed container to prevent it from absorbing odours from other foods. Proper refrigeration keeps butter fresh for up to eight weeks. If freezing is necessary, well-sealed butter can last up to 12 months.

To maintain its quality:

  • Protect it from light and air to avoid oxidation.
  • In warmer climates, always refrigerate to prevent rancidity.

And how should I handle butter?

Butter softens at around 30°C and melts at 35°C, making it easy to work with in a variety of recipes. For the freshest flavour and best results, purchase butter as needed rather than storing it long-term.

What are the butter types?

There are many different types of butter, but here are some of the most common.

Butter concentrate

Butter concentrate is popular in tropical regions due to its long shelf life and high melting point. Made by removing almost all moisture, it stays stable in warm climates while retaining rich, buttery flavour. Ideal for cooking, baking and food manufacturing, it brings the essence of butter without the need for refrigeration. How convenient.

Butter oil

Butter oil is mostly used in ice cream manufacturing, where its rich, concentrated butterfat enhances texture and flavour. With almost all moisture and milk solids removed, it blends smoothly and adds a creamy richness to frozen treats and other dairy-based products.

Clarified butter

Also known as ghee, clarified butter is almost pure milk fat (at least 99.7%), making it a favourite for cooking. With the moisture and milk solids removed, it resists burning, handles high heat easily and reduces spattering. Think: frying, roasting, and creating rich, buttery sauces.

Cultured and salted butter

A distinctly Australian take on butter, cultured salted butter has both live cultures and a touch of salt added before churning. This creates a rich, tangy depth with a savoury edge. It’s absolute perfection on fresh bread or melted into your favourite dishes.

Cultured butter

Also known as Danish-style butter, cultured butter is made by adding live cultures to cream before churning. Left to develop overnight, it takes on a rich, slightly tangy flavour. With no added salt, it’s celebrated for its complex taste and deliciously creamy texture.

Dairy blends

Dairy blends combine butter with up to 50% edible vegetable oils, creating a smooth, spreadable texture straight from the fridge. They offer the rich taste of butter with added convenience, making them perfect for using in a quick snack or your next dish.

Reduced-fat dairy spreads

Reduced-fat dairy spreads contain 30% to 60% total fat, with at least half coming from milk fat. The rest includes water, milk proteins, cultures, herbs, spices, gelatine, vitamins, sugar or salt. These spreads offer a lighter alternative while still delivering a creamy texture and delicious flavour.

Salted butter

Once the buttermilk is drained off, a touch of salt (no more than 2%) is added to bring out butter’s rich, creamy flavour and help it last longer. Whether melted over hot toast, swirled into sauces or baked into golden pastries, salted butter makes everything more delicious. And in Australia, it’s always free from artificial additives.

Unsalted butter

Pure, creamy and full of flavour, unsalted butter lets the natural richness shine. With no added salt, it’s perfect for baking, cooking and when you want complete control over seasoning. Reduced and low-salt butters offer a lighter option, with about half the salt of regular salted butter.