Flavorful Homemade Lemon Dill Butter
Easy Recipe for Making Fresh Lemon Dill Butter at Home
Elevate your bread with this specially crafted butter, infused with the bright zest of lemon and the aromatic herb, dill! Abroad, it’s common to spread butter mixed with lemon and dill on bread for an enhanced flavor profile. Once chilled, this Lemon Dill Butter can be brought to room temperature before serving. When spread generously on toast, it offers a significantly richer aroma and taste compared to plain butter. It pairs wonderfully not only with plain toast but also with hearty rye bread or wholesome whole wheat bread. Enjoy the sophisticated taste of homemade Lemon Dill Butter!
Ingredients- Fresh Dill: 10g (about 2-3 sprigs)
- Unsalted Butter: 250g (softened at room temperature)
- Lemon Zest: from 1 lemon
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s talk about dill! Dill is an herb known for its distinct, fragrant aroma, making it a spice that truly enhances the flavor of any dish. Using fresh dill will yield the best results in terms of fragrance.
Step 2
Prepare the Butter: Take 250g of unsalted butter out of the refrigerator about 1-2 hours before you plan to make the butter. The butter is ready to use when it’s softened enough to be easily pressed with a finger. Hard butter won’t mix well, so ensure it’s adequately softened.
Step 3
Make the Lemon Zest: Wash one lemon thoroughly. Using a microplane grater or a zester, carefully grate the yellow peel. Be cautious not to grate the white pith underneath, as it can impart a bitter taste. Set the prepared lemon zest aside, covered, to preserve its fragrance.
Step 4
Cream the Butter: Place the softened butter into a bowl. Using a spatula, cream the butter until it’s smooth and fluffy. Incorporating some air by creaming will result in an even smoother butter. Continue stirring until it achieves a creamy consistency.
Step 5
Combine Ingredients: Add the finely chopped dill (about 10g) and the lemon zest (from 1 lemon) to the creamed butter. Make sure the dill is minced very finely so it mixes evenly throughout the butter.
Step 6
Mix everything together thoroughly with the spatula. Ensure the butter, dill, and lemon zest are uniformly combined without any lumps. Knead the mixture several times until it forms a cohesive mass.
Step 7
Shape and Wrap: Lay a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Place the well-mixed butter mixture onto the parchment paper. Shape it into a log or a rectangular block as desired. Use the parchment paper to tightly wrap the butter, forming a neat shape, similar to how you would wrap candy.
Step 8
Chill and Store: Keeping the butter tightly wrapped in parchment paper, place it in the freezer for about 1 hour until it hardens. Before it becomes completely frozen solid, transfer it to the refrigerator for storage. It can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days for use. (For longer storage, keep it frozen.)
Step 9
Bringing Out the Butter: Take the Lemon Dill Butter from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before you intend to use it. Let it sit at room temperature briefly. If it’s too hard, it will be difficult to spread, so use it when it has slightly softened.
Step 10
Serving Suggestions: Slice the butter into desired portions and re-wrap them individually in parchment paper for convenient storage in the refrigerator. Spread thinly over warm toast or crispy baguette slices and enjoy its exquisite flavor!
