I finally saw a "high end" butter at my super market and wanted to give it a try in some of my recipes but here in my question.... does better butter really make a difference in a recipe. Can you taste the difference? Thanks for your input! I'd hate to spend the money if it doesn't really make a difference.

Sue

I'm not sure about recipes, but Land O Lakes is the only kind I'll use on my popcorn. It has a much better flavor.

Anyone else? Do you use high end butter and actually notice a difference?

I started using "high end" butter..and I do taste a difference. It's double the price though. I def. taste the difference in my cupcakes. Very Moist.

Maybe I'll give it a try and only use it on some reicpes. I didn't notice it was double the price

Usually it's about $3.50+ for 1/2 pound. and I usually pay $1.85 per pound at Sams/Cosco/BJ's wholesale for regular butter.

typally just use butter from sams for my cakes, sometimes if i am at the specialty market though i will stock up on the orish butter if it is on sale ( i think it delivers better quality) but my favorite is homemade churned butter, i rarely get to use it since 1) i dont have the time or the storage space to churn my own and 2) the little old lady whom use to make it around here passed away last year

I won't spend the $ on "premium" butters because I don't think any difference they make is really appreciated by most people--and they certainly don't want to pay an upcharge for something that isn't an obvious upgrade (to them).

I do, however, always buy AA grade sweet cream unsalted butter from Costco (basically the identical butter to Land O'Lakes, but usually much cheaper). I find it to be a whiter, sweeter/milder butter than lower, store brand grades.

Rae

Homemade butter is the best! Super easy to make and pretty comparable in price! Google it.
I once read that the whiter butter is in the winter and the yellower butter is in the summer. I think it said that it depends on when the cow was milked. Also, most major manufacturers of butter freeze it sometimes as long as 2 years before it is put on the grocery store shelf. It also said that one on the main differences in the butter is the amount of water in them. The lower quality butter has a higher percentage of water.....

when you make your own butter what kind of cream do you use? we only have UHT-processed dairy around here i wonder if that will work.

The higher the fat content, the better the butter is going to be.

I use European-style butter because it has a higher fat content and the difference in taste is noticeable.

Even HEB carries European-style butter, so it's not something most people are going to need to go to Whole Foods to get.

I think it makes a big difference if you are making pastry dough, such as pate a choux for cream puffs/eclairs. The European style has a higher fat content (Plugra is a good brand) and is superior for results. For everything else, I use Land o Lakes; no store brands, too much water content..

I prefer what would be called a "European style" butter (82-84% butterfat, vs 80% for "regular" butter) for a lot of my baking. I don't always use it for every single application (I don't use it in buttercream, even though my buttercream is all butter, the extra butterfat seems to be lost in this application, to me, but even then I use a "premium" butter), but when I make laminated doughs (puff pastry, croissant, danish), cookies, and pie crusts, this is the only option, in my opinion, as it creates a superior product.

Interesting information found online at http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/grades.html:



The quality of butter is based on its body, texture, flavour, and appearance. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) assigns quality grades to butter based on its score on a standard quality point scale. Grade AA is the highest possible grade; Grade AA butter must achieve a numerical score of 93 out of 100 points based on its aroma, flavour, and texture. Salt (if present) must be completely dissolved and thoroughly distributed. Grade A butter is almost as good, with a score of 92 out of 100 points. Grade B butter is based on a score of 90 points, and it usually is used only for cooking or manufacturing. The flavour of Grade B is not as fresh and sweet, and its body may be crumbly, watery, or sticky.

The U.S. grade shield is usually found on the main panel of the butter package, but may be shown on the side or end panel. U.S. Grade AA and Grade A are the quality ratings most often seen. However, U.S. Grade B butter is also sold in some areas.
U.S. Grade AA   

* Delicate, sweet flavor, with a fine, highly pleasing aroma
* Made from high-quality fresh, sweet cream
* Smooth, creamy texture with good "spreadability"
* May possess a slight feed and a definite cooked flavor.

U.S. Grade A
  

* Pleasing flavor
* Made from fresh cream
* Fairly smooth texture
* Rates close to top grade
* May possess any of the following flavors to a slight degree: Acid, aged, bitter, coarse, flat, smothered, and storage.
* May possess feed flavor to a definite degree.

U.S. Grade B
  

* May have slightly acid flavor
* Readily acceptable to many consumers
* May possess any of the following flavors to a slight degree: Malty, musty, neutralizer, scorched, utensil, weed, and whey.
* May possess any of the following flavors to a definite degree: Acid, aged, bitter, smothered, storage, and old cream; feed flavor to a pronounced degree.