Molding Butter - Part 3

This is the “strictly for fun” segment of this 4 part series on making butter. In the first article, we learned to make butter. In the second, we learned to flavor it and in the 4th, we will learn how to store it (butter crocks, butter bells and all that).

The process itself of molding butter is ridiculously simple. And, yet, the result is delightful. There is no better way to tell your dinner guests how much you care about them than by serving little pats of molded butter with their rolls.

Curling

All you need is a butter curler for this. (Available at Amazon for $9.49) Heat the curler in hot water and run it over the top of a stick of butter.

Piping

If you know how to use a piping bag and/or a cookie press, you can very easily pipe softened butter onto waxed paper, refrigerate it and store it for special occasions.

Rolling and Cutting

Another way to shape butter is to simply cut it with cookie cutters:

If you have very small cookie cutters, you can take slices of cold butter and cut them as you would a cookie.

If you have larger cookie cutters, you can:

1. Soften the butter. (Do not try to do this in the microwave, as it will be uneven.)
2. Place it on a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper
3. Fold the paper over it and use your hands or a rolling pin to spread it out (as you would do with a ball of pie dough).

4. Place it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
5. When the butter is hard, peel back the top and cut the butter with your cookie cutters.

How to Use a Mold:

1. Soften the butter. (Do not try to do this in the microwave, as it will be uneven.)
2. Fill the mold with it and press gently on it, being careful not to leave air holes on the inside. Wipe off the excess around the top.

3. Put the mold in the freezer for a half hour or more. (The larger the shape, the longer the time.)
4. Turn over and pop the butter out. (In some cases, you may need to run hot water over the mold to get the butter out.)

5. Serve. (They do soften up fast, so it is best to keep them in the freezer until right before you serve them.)

Types of Molds

Antique

Old butter molds abound at second-hand stores and websites like eBay and Etsy. They’re relatively inexpensive, even though many of them are still functional.

WOOD

A simple hand carved “paddle” was used to press a design into butter:

When the molds have handles to push the butter, they are called “butter press molds.” Here’s a short video from Gnowfglins showing how to use one:

Some butter press molds have a design carved into the mold itself or the handle. If not, you can insert a butter stamp and the design is made in the butter. To see how it’s done, check out this fun website – The Mobile Home Woman

Some butter mold presses are round:

Some are oval:

Some are rectangular:

There were seemingly an infinite amount of ways to use wood for molding butter.

GLASS

These are beautiful pieces of history, but they are rare.

METAL

CERAMIC

New

OLD STYLE

Currently, there are a few wooden butter mold presses made in the US and several different butter molds made in Germany and Poland.

STICK MOLDS

It’s a big leap (backward) from the beautifully hand carved molds to the plastic molds available today. However, these molds are so inexpensive that you can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes on your shelf for any occasion.

FUN SHAPES

Almost any candy or chocolate mold can be used with butter:

If you are molding butter, we would love to see it. Send us a picture of it and we will share it here.