Brandy Butter for Christmas ((Easy Foolproof Recipe) (2024)

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Brandy butter is a traditional accompaniment to Christmas pudding in the UK, and it’s so delicious and simple to make, you probably won’t believe it!

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You may have heard it called brandy butter, or hard sauce: either one is acceptable, and they both refer to the same creation.

As a Scottish Grocer affiliate and Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I was sent some butter from Lewis Road Creamery, but was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

But have you tasted brandy butter?

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What is Brandy Butter?

Just think of buttercream frosting made with BRANDY! Oh yeah, that’s essentially what brandy butter aka hard sauce is!

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If you’re going to make this, there’s something that I am going to say, and if you have followed me for any amount of time, you already know what it’s going to be: use the best quality ingredients you can find/afford. Incidentally, in case you’re wondering why I’m using cognac, you can understand the difference between cognac and brandy here.

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For example, the brandy you use will make a difference in the flavor, and of course the butter will, as well. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend making this if you can’t find good quality butter because you’ll be eating it straight (as in, it’s not cooked or baked.)My favorite butter is now Lewis Road Creamery butter from New Zealand. I did a side by side taste-test with Kerrygold, and I liked it better! My Irish priest friend wasn’t too pleased about this, when I told him! 🤣

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What is Brandy Butter Used For?

Brandy butter is traditionally served with Christmas pudding and mince pies. When served heated, the cold butter melts onto the warm desserts, making a delicious combination of flavors and textures.

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I recommend making your own homemade Christmas pudding, but you can always buy aChristmas pudding Of course, you can also buy brandy butter, but it’s actually always pretty pricy and won’t taste as good as homemade.

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Can I Make Brandy Butter without Alcohol/Brandy?

You could make brandy butter (or hard sauce) with brandy flavoring, HOWEVER, I do not recommend it. The flavor will be completely off, so your best bet is to use something else like fresh cream.

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Of course, you’re probably more familiar with brandy sauce. It’s the quintessential topping on a Christmas pudding, which is generally seen more often than hard sauce.

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If you’re willing to try brandy butter, you’ll see just how easy it is to make using this recipe. I prefer mine with more brandy, but feel free to add more or less. Less brandy will result in a smoother sauce, however, if you happen add too much brandy, there’s an easy fix, so don’t worry, it’s foolproof!

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Brandy Sauce (Foolproof Recipe)

adapted from Mrs Beeton’s cookbook serves 4

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

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Ingredients

  • good quality butter, at room temperature
  • confectioner’s/powdered sugar
  • good quality brandy/cognac

Special equipment: a hand mixer (can also be done with a wooden spoon) and a serving bowl

Directions

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Cream the butter in a bowl until soft. (I love my Mason Cash bowls, they’re the same ones Mrs Patmore and Daisy use in Downton Abbey.)

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Begin adding in the confectioner’s sugar a little at a time, continuing to beat with the mixer.

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When all of the sugar has been added and the mixture is light and pale, add in the brandy (one tablespoonful at a time, if using 2.) Mix until it is incorporated.

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Use a spatula to put it into a serving bowl, cover, and chill before using,

IF THE BRANDY BUTTER SPLITS/CURDLES you have two choices to fix it:

  1. Add more confectioner’s sugar until it’s smooth.
  2. Take a heaping spoonful of the mixture and melt it (microwave is easiest), then add it back into the bowl and mix in, and it will be smooth again.

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Brandy Butter (Easy Foolproof Recipe)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

An easy brandy butter recipe using only 3 ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz (1/2 stick or 50 g) good quality, salted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (100 g) confectioner's/powdered sugar
  • 1 or 2 Tbsp good quality brandy/cognac

Instructions

Special equipment: a hand mixer (can also be done with a wooden spoon) and a serving bowl.

Directions

  1. Cream the butter in a bowl until soft.
  2. Begin adding in the confectioner's sugar a little at a time, continuing to beat with the mixer.
  3. When all of the sugar has been added and the mixture is light and pale, add in the brandy (one tablespoonful at a time, if using 2.) Mix until it is incorporated.
  4. Use a spatula to put it into a serving bowl, cover, and chill before using,
  5. Brandy butter will keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.

Notes

IF THE BRANDY BUTTER SPLITS/CURDLES you have two choices to fix it:

  1. Add more confectioner's sugar until it's smooth.
  2. Take a heaping spoonful of the mixture and melt it (microwave is easiest), then add it back into the bowl and mix in, and it will be smooth again.
  • If using unsalted butter, add two good pinches of salt.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 190Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 0gSugar: 24gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

Did you make this recipe?

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Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Brandy Butter for Christmas ((Easy Foolproof Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How long does brandy butter keep in the fridge? ›

In the Refrigerator- Brandy butter will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for two to three weeks. In the Freezer- You can also freeze this butter for up to three months for later use. Just make sure it's in a well-sealed container. Defrost in the refrigerator and use it within a week.

Why has my brandy butter split? ›

If you are over generous with the brandy it will curdle so just beat in more sieved icing sugar and it will come smooth again.

What is the difference between brandy butter and brandy cream for pudding? ›

Brandy butter uses caster sugar, giving the whipped unguent a pleasing graininess that dissolves on the tongue, part of the charm and a foil to the sticky pudding. There's an argument that brandy cream does a slightly better job though, as cream is much higher in milk sugar - lactose - than butter.

What is brandy butter made of? ›

Method. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale, then whisk in the brandy, one tbsp at a time, until you are pleased with the taste. Scrape into a serving bowl and chill for 1 hr or for up to 3 days, before serving.

What do you eat with brandy butter? ›

A traditional accompaniment to Christmas pudding and mince pies, brandy butter is made with unsalted butter, sugar and brandy. It can be bought ready-made in pots and jars or made at home. Try this easy recipe for traditional brandy butter; perfect for slathering over mince pies or Christmas pudding.

Does brandy go bad? ›

Its high alcohol level keeps bacteria from growing in the liquor and protects its integrity when stored in a cool and dark environment. Open brandy won't go bad but it will lose its potency and flavor complexity within 6 months to 2 years of the seal being broken.

What is another name for brandy butter? ›

The Basics. The name of hard sauce (aliases: brandy butter, rum butter, Senior Wrangler sauce) is a bit misleading, as the dish has more in common with a melt-in-your-mouth butter mint than a drizzly glaze.

Why is my homemade butter not separating? ›

Sometimes, melted butter will be dispersed in the cream and won't separate. This happens if you churn butter in a hot or humid climate. Refrigerate the bowl with its contents for an hour or so. Upon refrigerating, you should see layers of butter floating on the buttermilk as the melted butterfat solidifies.

How many units of alcohol are in brandy butter? ›

The drink-drive limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - which as a rough guide means men should have no more than four units of alcohol and women no more than three before driving. 0.7 per serving), brandy butter (0.3 units) and Irish coffee (1.4 units).

Is brandy or whiskey better for Christmas cake? ›

Soak all your dried fruits in your spirit of choice – whisky or brandy would be the most traditional options, though other aged spirits like rum also work, and sweeter additions like sherry, Cointreau or amaretto will add their own character.

Can you buy brandy butter? ›

Tesco Finest Brandy Butter 200G.

What is Amish butter called? ›

Also known as roll butter for its log-shaped packaging, Amish butter is a slow-churned butter that is typically richer and creamier than regular stick butter. This flavorful butter has been produced for generations by family-owned and operated farms, but we're just beginning to see it pop up in local grocery stores.

How long does flavored butter last in the fridge? ›

Once the compound recipe is complete, you must store butter in the refrigerator as you normally would. In many cases, herb-infused compound butter can last up to two months in the refrigerator.

Does refrigerated butter go bad? ›

In the refrigerator, well-wrapped salted butter can last up to five months without spoiling. Salt is a preservative that prevents microbial growth and extends shelf life. Unsalted butter can last up to three months in the fridge. (If the butter is unwrapped, shorten those projections to about two months in the fridge.)

How long does homemade butter last in the fridge? ›

How long does homemade butter last? Homemade butter has a shelf life of up to 2 – 3 weeks when kept in the fridge. You can also keep your homemade butter in the freezer for up to 9 months.

How long does brandy cream keep? ›

Once opened, best within 3 days.

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