the recipe calls for softened butter

 

What determines a softened butter, or margarine for that matter.?
Would liquefying it in a microwave  do just as well? Or is it
something like mush in your hands considered 'softened"?

 

wrote:


i would be careful of the microwave.  softened is not liquified.

 


A lot depends on the recipe.  Some recipes depend on the
physical characteristics of the butter, others don't care if
it's melted.  It would be nice to know what you're making.

That said, "softened butter" is usually at or slightly higher
than 70 F (room temperature).

If you're careful, you can soften butter in the microwave at
10% power.  If you can plan ahead, though, just leave it
out of the fridge for a few hours.

Cindy Hamilton

 

noel888 wrote:


How soft it is determines whether its softened or not.


Nope. You can in theory soften it in the microwave, but its
quite tricky to get the time right, you usually end up with
liquid in the middle of the block if you do it in the microwave.


Nope. Softened butter or marg is just soft enough to squeeze around without
being anything like mush.

Its usually used for making pastry and cakes etc.

Its pretty easy to do by taking it out of the fridge an putting it on the top of
the storage hot water
service for a few hours if you have one, or just leaving it on the benchtop for
a few hours in summer.

In winter you may well be able to put it somewhere where its getting warmed if
you dont have the hot water service.

You could probably soften it with hot water in a steamer, just dont heat the hot
water on
the stove etc just put it in the steamer out of the hot water tap etc. Havent
tried that tho.