Butter Board Medley
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Room temp butters spread over a board in distinct zones for grazing. Basil, cinnamon sugar, roasted garlic herb and sun dried tomato butters with savory and sweet profiles. Roasted garlic dug out of its wrapper, fried garlic bits optional for crunch. Garnished with herbs, flowers, nuts, zest, salt. Great with crusty bread or veggie dippers. Timing flexible, relies on tactile softness of butter, caramelized garlic aroma, and visual cues for doneness. Saves time with prepping roasted garlic ahead. Variations with ingredient swaps for personal tastes or what’s on hand.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
37 min
Servings:
20 servings
#appetizer
#snacking
#American fusion
#compound butter
#grazing board
#savory
#sweet
#butter preparation
Butter left out till yielding but still firm. Basil chopped fine, basil butter hints lemon zest brightening. Cinnamon sugar butter sweet-spiced, maple syrup twist bends classic. Roasted garlic slow baked till cloves feel like butter themselves, sweet, mellow, aromatic. Fried garlic slices crackle golden in olive oil, optional crunch bombs. Sun dried tomato butter packed red color, chewy bits. Arrangement messy, artistic on board—four quadrants of flavor and texture. Edible flowers crash colors, nuts scatter crunch. Bread and veg tossed beside for dipping delight. Sensory cues trump clocks: aroma, softness, color edges. I learned slow roasting garlic changes game; patience pays.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil finely minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest fresh
- 1 tbsp honey substitute with maple syrup for cinnamon sugar butter
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 whole garlic bulb for roasting
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
- ½ tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped finely
- 1 tsp smoked paprika added twist replacing part of black pepper in garlic herb butter
- Optional fried garlic slices: thin sliced garlic cloves fried until golden crisp
About the ingredients
Butter temperature is everything—too cold, it resists mixing; too warm, it just separates. Room temp means soft enough to stir without melting. Herbs should be fresh, chopped finely but not to dust; texture matters here. Maple syrup swapped for honey in cinnamon sugar to add subtle maple’s earth and visual amber tone. Roasting garlic needs olive oil lubrication for even cooking and prevents burning edges. Smoked paprika addition to garlic herb butter adds smoky heat depth, try it. Sun dried tomatoes drained well or excess oil dilutes spreadability. Optional fried garlic flakes add crunch but watch frying temperature carefully—soggy or burnt is easy if impatient. Keep knives clean between butters to maintain purity of taste.
Method
Butter base prep
- Start with butter on counter minimum 25-35 minutes till pliable but not melting. Press finger into block, should leave imprint without sticking or melting. Too cold skips mixing; too warm turns greasy. If in a hurry, cut into smaller chunks to speed softening.
Roasted garlic prep
- Preheat oven to 395°F not exactly 400. Slice ¼ inch off garlic bulb top, exposing cloves. Drizzle olive oil all over, wrap tightly in foil. Roast about 40-50 minutes. Look for cloves browned, smelling sweet and mellow, squeeze softness through foil. If cloves still firm or pungent sharp, bake longer 5-minute increments checking often.
Basil butter
- In bowl, mash ¼ cup chopped basil with 1 tbsp lemon zest into ¼ tsp salt and half cup butter. Use back of spoon or small mixer low speed. Blend till consistent but still textured. Avoid pulverizing to paste. Basil should still pop in forkfuls.
Cinnamon sugar butter
- Combine ½ cup butter, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup, pinch salt. Stir till uniform and fragrant. Sweet cinnamon aroma should uplift, not overpower.
Roasted garlic herb butter
- Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skin into bowl, discarding skins. Add ½ cup butter, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and smoked paprika. Mash garlic into butter resolving lumps but keeping lightweight creaminess. Spices balance soft roasted garlic sweetness with warmth and earthy punch.
Sun dried tomato butter
- Mix ½ cup butter, ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, pinch salt. Optional: Add bit of lemon zest to wake dried fruit notes. Blend to spreadable state with tomato pieces slightly chunky for texture.
Fried garlic garnish now
- Thinly slice any leftover fresh garlic cloves. Fry in hot olive oil (about 300°F) until edges turn golden brown and crisp but not burnt. Drain on paper towels immediately to stop cooking. Optional but adds crunch and punch—great for topping garlic butters or any quadrant.
Assembly and decoration
- Choose wood or marble board large enough for 4 quarters. Spread each butter type on its section thickly with butter knife or offset spatula. Avoid spreading too thin or it loses impact.
- Sprinkle each quadrant differently: basil with fresh basil leaves and lemon zest shavings; cinnamon sugar with dusting of extra cinnamon and chopped nuts like pecans; roasted garlic herb with fried garlic flakes and coarse flaky salt; sun dried tomato with fresh thyme sprigs and cracked black pepper.
- Add edible flowers randomly on board for color pop, scatter nuts, herbs, citrus zest over entire surface. Crackers, bread slices, and crisp vegetables make ideal carriers.
Serving tips and troubleshooting
- Butter too cold? Warm hands or knife, stroke blade first against warm object. Butter too soft? Chill board briefly before arranging. Roasted garlic underdone? Return to oven wrapped, check every 5 min. Garlic flavor too strong? Reduce garlic quantity or add more butter.
- Swap fresh herbs for dried if needed but use less to avoid bitterness. Maple syrup taste differs from honey—expect earthier sweetness. If no sun dried tomatoes, roast cherry tomatoes and finely chop as substitute.
- Timing based on feel and senses. Butter should not be runny or gritty. Garlic aroma signals readiness; no raw sharp punch. Fried garlic bits store well in airtight container, but add fresh to prevent sogginess.
- Board can sit at room temp for up to 2 hours before serving; cover with cloth to avoid dust and drying.
- Snack strategy: Use multiple knives/spreaders to prevent flavor bleed. Clean knife between butters if blending unwanted tastes.
Cooking tips
Start by softening butter—test often with fingertip pressure. While waiting, prepare roasted garlic carefully: cut bulb top evenly, coat with oil well; wrap tight foil seal traps steam and heat, prevents drying. Oven set close to 400 but check garlic every 5 minutes past 40-minute mark; soft, fragrant cloves pushed by nail without resistance means done. Mix each butter in separate bowls, mashing and folding ingredients simply; no over-whipping needed. Fried garlic is quick—slice even and thin, heat oil to medium, bubbles should be gentle and reduce once slices hit oil, fry golden quickly, remove instantly. Assembly is art; spread thick patches, decorate wildly with fresh herbs, nuts, salt flakes. Serve immediately or cover loosely at room temp; freshness decreases fast. Have clean spreaders to avoid cross-contamination of flavors. Cook by feel, smell, and appearance instead of clock obsessiveness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter temperature is crucial; too cold and chunks resist mixing, too warm it breaks down greasy, keeps texture firmer go slower with softening. Taste and spread feel dictate success, not clock.
- 💡 Roast garlic wrapped tight in foil with oil, trap steam; check after 40 mins for softness by squeezing. When cloves feel like spreadable flesh, fragrance sweet and mellow, no sharp bite triggers doneness.
- 💡 Fried garlic slices add crunch if done right; oil must be hot but not smoking. Thin uniform slices fry fast. Pull when edges just golden crisp. Draining on paper towels stops cooking immediately—avoid soggy or bitter burnt bits.
- 💡 Mix butters separately, gently fold ingredients. Prevent overworking—keeps texture light, flavor pieces intact. Basil butter stays herbal with zest accent, cinnamon sugar butter melds sweet and spice, roasted garlic balanced with smoky paprika.
- 💡 When assembling, spread thick sections to preserve distinct flavor zones. Scatter herbs, nuts, zest with intention but not overdone. Use multiple knives or spreaders to avoid cross-flavor contamination; clean between types.
Common questions
How to know when roasted garlic is done?
Squeeze foiled bulb gently; soft, almost jelly-like cloves. Smell sweet, not sharp. If still firm, oven time must be longer. Check every 5 min intervals after 40. Texture beats time.
Can I swap maple syrup?
Honey works similar, sweeter profile. Maple adds earthiness and amber tone changes look a bit. Otherwise, use agave or simple syrup; adjust sweetness to avoid overpowering cinnamon.
Butter too hard to spread?
Warm brief by hand or slice smaller chunks. No microwaving, melts, loses texture fast. Alternatively chill board if butter too soft to keep shape when spreading thick.
How long can board sit before serving?
Up to 2 hours room temp covered loosely. Cooler temps dry and harden butter fast; too warm melts. Refrigerate left-overs but loses softness and texture; bring back to room temp gently.
