Butter me up: Try out these whacky butters with your meals

While butter might have earned a bad named for itself in the health world, when used in moderation, it can be a delicious addition to your food that adds a ton of flavour and richness. Made from milk, it contains vitamin D and calcium which is vital for the bones and helped with its development and strength.

Lately, chefs and home cooks on social media have gone berserk with adding flavourings to the humble salted butter to create new and exciting creations that can be paired with savoury, sweet, spicy and umami foods. Here are a few types of butters that would even make Krishna crack a toothy grin.

Popcorn butter

No movie is complete without a tub of buttery, cheesy popcorn but taking it to another level is this butter that taste like popcorn. Salty yet creamy, this spread is made but mixing freshly popped salted popcorn in a stick of unsalted butter. Another way to prepare this recipe is to add a sprinkle of chaat masala, a pinch of chilli powder and a dash of haldi to a mixer along with butter. This gives you the flavour of bhutta year round. You can add this to boiled corn to create a corn-ception or eat it with roti or parathas. Store this butter in a French butter bell, to make the butter last longer.

Chocolate butter

This dessert butter is easy and quick to make. You can use it on a multitude of things but the best way to enjoy this flavoured butter on plain toast or on top of cake. As there are only two ingredients in chocolate butter, it is important to pay special attention to the quality of chocolate you use. Dark and decadent coco powder is mixed into the butter till there are no streaks or clumps of powder. To amp up the flavour of chocolate, add some quantity of melted and cooled dark chocolate to the butter as well. If you are feeling adventurous, you can add other flavours like salted caramel, toffee or coffee to your chocolate butter to make it extravagant. Store it in an air tight container placed in a cool, dry place.

Pumpkin spice butter

While pumpkin spice might’ve found its popularity in the West, it has created a steady stream of fans all over the world. If you want to find more ways to incorporate this mix into your food, try making a butter than is flavoured with pumpkin spice. Roasted red pumpkin puree is mixed into softened butter on high speed along with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove powder. Taste the butter and add more spices if needed. Simply spread this butter on a baguette or on a bagel while sipping your tea or coffee. Keep this butter in the fridge so that it lasts longer.

Garlic and herb butter

The taste of garlic with the salty and creaminess of butter is a match made in heaven. To take this classic flavoured butter to the next time, use confit or roasted garlic instead. To confit your garlic, slow cook a handful of cleaned garlic cloves to olive oil for a few hours till it become soft and mushy. Herbs like chopped parsley, green onions, dried thyme and rosemary will add freshness to the butter. Skip the salted butter, instead use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt to help control the flavours. Use this butter to baste your steaks and other grilled meats or simply spread it over a slice of bread, top with cheese and grill till golden. Once whipped, put it on a parchment and roll it into a log and cut slices for easy use.

Mixed berry butter

Made with a mixed berry compote comprising of blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, this berry butter is a sweet and tantalizing mix of sweet, tart and salty. Add a cup of the compote to one stick of room temperature butter and whip it on high to incorporate it Store it in the fridge and use dollops of butter on your savoury-sweet french toast, pancakes, muffins or on a slice of pound cake.