only after the butter has cooled below the
boiling point; otherwise the cold liquid will
cause spattering and the lemon solids may
brown. On their own, they lend a rich nutty
flavor to baked goods.
The emulsified butter sauces — beurre
blanc, hollandaise, and their relatives — are
described in chapter 11.
Clarified Butter Clarified butter is butter
whose water and milk solids have been
removed, leaving essentially pure milk fat
that looks beautifully clear when melted and
that is better suited for frying (the milk solids
scorch at relatively low frying temperatures).
When butter is gently heated to the boiling
point of water, the water bubbles to the top,
where the whey proteins form a froth.
Eventually all the water evaporates, the
bubbling stops, and the froth dehydrates. This
leaves a skin of dry whey protein on top, and
dry casein particles at the bottom. Lift off the