Who would have thought that melting butter in water could become a magic butter sauce? Beurre Monté is a French term used to describe a buttery substance made of a small amount of water and chunks of butter, whisked over moderate heat to melt the butter and keep it emulsified and creamy.
You will need:
3 tbsp water
8 tbsp butter
The temperature of the butter and water matters. The butter should be well chilled and the water simmering but not boiling. That way, the butter melts slowly so that its fat droplets gradually become available and don’t overwhelm the emulsion as you’re building it, and the water doesn’t evaporate so much that there isn’t enough of it to keep the fat droplets separate. It’s easy to control by bringing the water to a simmer over a medium-high flame and then lowering the heat as soon as it comes to a simmer.Â
Add the butter slowly and whisk vigorously after each addition, especially early in the process when you’re establishing the emulsion. Drop in 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk it for 20 to 30 seconds before adding the next so that the butter has a chance to melt and its fat breaks down into sufficiently tiny droplets.
Keep warm until ready to use, never let it come to a boil!
