How to Cream Butter and Sugar
This is the structural foundation for most baking. If you skip the time required to build this air, your finished product will be dense and heavy regardless of the quality of your ingredients.
Temperature is your only variable
Your butter must be cool enough to hold its shape but soft enough to yield to a thumb press. If it is greasy or melting, the sugar will slide around rather than cutting into the fat.
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Large mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1 cupgranulated white sugar
The Pale Shift
Stop when the mixture transforms from a grainy, yellow paste into a smooth, off-white, cloud-like consistency. It should hold its shape on the paddle without sliding off.
The method.
Prep the butter
Place the softened butter in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-low for 30 seconds until it is a uniform, smooth mass.
Add sugar gradually
With the mixer running on low, pour the sugar in a steady, slow stream. Do not dump it all at once, or the butter will seize.
Increase speed
Once the sugar is incorporated, bump the speed up to medium-high. Let it run for 3 to 5 minutes.
Scrape the bowl
Stop the mixer every minute to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure no butter patches remain.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the kitchen is hot, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes before you begin to keep the fat stable.
Do not over-cream once it has reached the pale, fluffy stage, or you risk collapsing the air pockets you just created.
Touch the mixture between your thumb and forefinger; if it feels gritty like sand, keep beating.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why use the paddle attachment instead of the whisk?
The whisk is designed to incorporate air into liquids like cream or egg whites. The paddle is designed to work solid fat and sugar together without overheating the butter.
Can I use brown sugar?
Yes, but be aware that brown sugar adds moisture and acidity, which makes it harder to see the 'pale' color change. Rely on the texture and volume increase instead.
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