Wild Mushroom Walnut Butter
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A rustic compound butter blending rehydrated dried wild mushrooms and toasted walnuts. Cream whipped to separate butterfat ensuring richness; nuts toasted for crunch and aroma lift. Herbaceous fresh tarragon swapped for chives to bring sharpness. A pinch of smoked sea salt replaces fleur de sel; black pepper cracked fresh. The end texture spreadable but firm, rolled in parchment for storage. An earthy, nutty, herbaceous butter for breads or roasts.
Prep:
18 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
40 min
Servings:
4 servings
#compound butter
#wild mushrooms
#walnuts
#French-inspired
#herbs
#homemade butter
Not your run-of-the-mill butter pat. Trying wild mushrooms with walnuts? Took a few tries to not let bitterness sneak in or ending up with runny sludge. The key? Temperature control for cream steeping, patience letting mushrooms open their flavor, plus that magic moment when butterfat parts from buttermilk. Toasted walnuts brought welcome crunch and that nutty warmth, a sharp herbal edge came from fresh tarragon — a swap from chives for better balance. Smoked sea salt added a smoky whisper instead of plain salt’s dullness. Each bite an explosion of earthiness, creaminess, crunch. Learned the hard way draining whey matters or texture failures. Stored in a tight log, chills overnight and ready for bread or topping steaks. Magic in a compound butter. I’d skip plain butter any day.
Ingredients
- 140 ml 35% cream
- 5 g dried wild mushrooms, finely chopped
- 50 ml walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 12 ml fresh tarragon, minced
- Pinch smoked sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Cream quality dictates end texture. Aim for freshest double cream with 35% fat or higher. Dried mushroom type affects bitterness; porcini are classic, but I prefer mix of wild for complexity. Toast nuts on medium-low until fragrant; burnt nuts are bitter — keep stirring and smell test crucial. Fresh herbs best, but dried tarragon powder can work if dosage is cut in half. Smoked sea salt adds subtle smoky note that regular salt misses — if unavailable, add pinch of smoked paprika at finishing. Chives swapped for tarragon for sharper herbal lift — don’t overdo or masks mushroom. Drain butter well or it will spoil faster and stay too soft. Wrap tight to avoid fridge smells. Makes butter brittle if frozen too long.
Method
Preparation
- Heat 140 ml cream and chopped wild mushrooms in a small saucepan until it just bubbles at edges; no rapid boil or it scorches. Pour into a bowl, cover tightly; let steep until warm to the touch, about 25 minutes. The mushrooms soften, infusing a deep, earthy aroma with a subtle bitterness. Don't rush this phase; flavor extraction matters.
- Add remaining cold cream to mushroom-infused liquid; chilling cream beforehand helps maintain whipping integrity. Beat mixture with electric mixer at medium-high until curds form and butterfat separates from buttermilk. Expect about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch for grainy curds pulling away from liquid, clumps coalescing. Don’t overbeat or it’ll get greasy.
- Drain off liquid whey through fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or a clean tea towel. Press gently to expel as much liquid as possible. Let butter rest on paper towel to drain excess. This ensures a firmer, spreadable butter rather than watery slop.
Finishing
- Transfer butter into mixing bowl. Fold in toasted walnuts and minced tarragon. Walnuts add toasted crunch, tarragon brightens with herbal tang. Season with smoked sea salt and black pepper to bring layers of flavor and seasoning balance. Taste as you go — salt levels vary widely; smoky salt shifts flavor depth differently than regular.
- Shape butter into a rough log on a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap. Roll tightly, pressing seams to seal air. Chill at least 1 hour until firm but still spreadable. This allows flavors to marry and butter to solidify without hardening. Ready to slather on crusty bread or melt over meats.
Tips & Tricks
- Dried wild mushrooms vary in strength; adjust steeping and amount depending on type. Avoid soaking in hot cream longer than 30 minutes; bitterness creeps in. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low, stirring often until fragrant with faint smoke, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully — nuts burn fast, ruins flavor.
- Tarragon swaps for chives offers sharper, anise-note contrast but use sparingly. Smoked salt replaced fleur de sel for subtle smoky echo but plain sea salt works. If fresh herbs unavailable, reduce amount or substitute fresh parsley or tarragon flakes dried (less pungent).
- Don’t skip draining liquid whey. Too much moisture makes the butter soft, impacts spreadability and shelf life. Refrigerate butter tightly wrapped to prevent absorbing fridge odors.
- If electric mixer not at hand, vigorous hand whisking possible but laborious. Visual cues for butterfat separation include curd-like, clumpy texture detaching from thin watery liquid.
- Use cream with 35% fat minimum; too low fat won’t separate efficiently. Fresh cream beats better than older cream nearing expiration. If cream too cold, whipping slows dramatically; room temp helps.
- Works well as finishing butter for grilled meats, steamed veggies, or stirred into creamy risottos. Also divine melting hot over roasted potatoes.
Cooking tips
Heating cream with mushrooms is key for extracting oil-soluble flavor compounds; short boiling ruins aromas, gentle simmer or off-heat steeping preferred. Whipping until curds separate takes 8 to 10 minutes at medium-high speed — visible when mixture goes from whipped cream texture to clumped curds and latent buttermilk. Drain liquid quickly and press excess whey to avoid soggy butter. Incorporating nuts and herbs after draining preserves texture and fresh flavors. Rolling into a cylinder with parchment allows neat storage and portion control — no mess spreading from bowl. Chill minimum 1 hour to set. I learned not to rush this step; serving too warm makes butter greasy and spread messy. Texture is semi-firm spreadable, not hard. Taste throughout — salt and pepper adjustments depend on nuts/herbs and personal preference.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mushrooms soak in warm cream, bubbles just at edges—not boiled; overheated kills aroma and turns bitter. Patience key—at least 25 minutes, smell earthy, subtle bitterness. Timing varies with mushroom type, adjust steeping carefully.
- 💡 Whip cold cream added after mushroom infusion; medium-high speed, electric mixer preferred — until curds pull from liquid, about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch texture changes closely, overbeating makes greasy butterfat, ruins structure.
- 💡 Drain whey fast with fine sieve lined in cheesecloth or tea towel. Press gently but thoroughly. Excess moisture softens final butter, ruins spreadability and shelf life. Paper towels at rest help firm texture before adding nuts and herbs.
- 💡 Fold in toasted walnuts and minced tarragon after draining whey; adding nuts prior risks soggy texture. Toast walnuts dry, medium-low heat, frequent stirring—stop at fragrant smoke, about 3 minutes, avoid burnt bitter crunch.
- 💡 Shape butter into tight log in parchment or plastic wrap. Chill minimum one hour to firm but spreadable. Too warm, butter gets greasy; too cold, brittle. Rolling keeps portion control neat, prevents crumbly mess during storage and use.
Common questions
Why no boiling cream?
Boiling kills delicate mushroom aroma, adds bitterness. Low heat or off heat steeping best. Bubbles only at edges, no roiling. Watch closely or flavor turns sharp, unpleasant.
Can I whisk by hand?
Possible but tough, slow. Need patience, strong arm. Visual cues matter—curds form, liquid separates. Mixer fastens. Without mixer, keep rhythm steady, avoid overwhip. No mixer? Fine sieve helps drain.
Butter too soft after draining?
Not drained well. Press whey longer, pat dry. Drain with cloth, rest on paper towels. Store wrapped tight in fridge. If still soft, chill longer. Avoid using very low fat cream; needs 35% plus.
How to store leftovers?
Wrapped tight in parchment or plastic wrap. Chill fridge for up to week. For longer, freeze but butter gets brittle. Avoid fridge smells; wrap tight. Thaw slow in fridge overnight before use.
