Charentes-Poitou butter

Beurre Charentes-Poitou

What it is

The appellation is built on maize: it must make up at least half of the cows' daily base ration, and never less than 1.5 kg of dry matter even at pasture. The specification credits that diet with the saturated fats that keep the butter firm yet malleable, which is why pastry cooks laminate with it. The cream is ripened for at least 16 hours at 7–21 °C, long enough to build lactones, which the specification ties to fruity notes, and the wider range of compounds behind its hazelnut and fresh-cream taste.

In the kitchen

Use it where the butter has to hold: puff pastry, sablés, a galette dough. Let it lose its fridge chill for a few minutes before laminating - it is firm, not brittle. It is also sold as 'Beurre des Charentes' or 'Beurre des Deux-Sèvres': the same appellation.

Goes with

T45 flour White sugar Egg Vanilla Apple Cassonade Mussel Oyster

Same species

Abura-kasu Amourettes (spinal marrow) Spider steak Bastourma Flank steak Beef

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